The Elements of Camelot
by Ac Colins
Summary: Elle Knight doesn't dream of far away lands or knights in shining armor, and magic is as common to her as her own face. So why does a Great Dragon tell her that the Once and Future King's success rests in her hands?
1. The Dragon's Call II

_Not sure what happened, but my ENTIRE story just disappeared. Can't have that, now can we. Reloading, cause I like it._

**I don't own any characters aside from Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC.**

1

The waves crashed down against the pale sand and Elizabeth Knight kept a careful eye on her younger brother while he played in the ocean. Mind you, it wouldn't take much to rescue him if he did venture too far. Commanding the water took almost no effort at all for the twenty year old mage. Still, she watched him.

Why tempt fate?

It must have been that thought that ruined what was meant to be a relaxing day at the beach with her family. Elle's only warning was the uneasy feeling that crept over her while she watched the tourists enjoy one last good weekend.

_Elizabeth._

She sat up, confused. Elle felt the tingle of magic and sighed. What idiot mage was dumb enough to practice their craft in broad daylight surrounded by regular people? She dried off and slipped back into her jeans, heedless of the wet swimsuit. Elle tugged her ratty old Bon Jovi t-shirt over her head and stuck her feet in her sneakers, ready to hunt down whatever mage was about when the voice chuckled.

_It's time._

The sensation was like falling, though her feet never left the ground. Elle's knees jammed painfully and she found herself surrounded by stone, deep beneath the ground. She was on a ledge that overlooked a gaping cavern.

"Hey, what the hell?" Elle shouted at the unseen mage.

There was a great clinking of metal and Elle noticed a heavy chain that hung from above. She reached over the ledge and yanked on it heavily. "Yo! It's rude to use magic on a person without their permission!"

"My apologies."

The chain dropped rapidly and Elle's eyes widened as a massive, winged beast lowered itself from somewhere above. It landed on a rock formation and studied her with large golden eyes.

A dragon.

"I've been waiting for you, sorceress. You and I need to have a little chat."

Elle was too irritated to be afraid. "What could you possibly need to talk to me about?" It was simply too big to be real. At least thirty feet tall, she couldn't begin to guess how long it was, and _talking_ to her.

"Your destiny," the dragon said with grave seriousness.

"What about it?"

The dragon snorted. "How like Water. Reckless and heedless…" he paused. "But adaptable. Joyful. Full of life. You are one of four elements needed, Elizabeth, to ensure that the Once and Future King, indeed has a future."

"Once and Future…do you mean King Arthur?" Elle tried to keep up with the nonsensical dragon.

"Indeed I do. You need to undertake a quest, Elizabeth, for all our sakes. You must find Fire, Wind, and Earth. Once all four elements are joined, his second reign will be assured. You are the last piece of the puzzle."

Elle thought best to play along. "I assume that these elements are also people?" The dragon nodded his great head. "You expect me to find three specific people? How do you suggest I do that?"

"Water is joyful, playful, deep, and mysterious. As are you, Elizabeth. "Wind is tricky, secretive, and spontaneous. Fire is passionate, quick-tempered, and fearless. Earth is loyal, nurturing, and unbreakable. You need to united them, young sorceress."

"Sure I do. Let me just check my schedule." Elle's voice was thick with sarcasm.

"You think this is a joke?" The dragon asked. His tone had dropped low and dangerous.

"I think you expect a lot from one person."

The dragon chuckled. "I think we can all expect much from you, Elizabeth Knight."

His tail snaked out suddenly and flicked Elle off of the ledge. She smashed painfully into the cliff face once…twice…three times before she managed to catch hold and stop her fall.

"What are you doing?" Elle shrieked. She smarted from the fall. She knew from experience that the aches would get far worse before they got better. She tried to pull herself up, but she couldn't get her footing.

"I am putting you on the path to your destiny!" The dragon called from somewhere above her.

Elle's fingers began to slip. "Hey, I can't hold on!"

"Then, it stands to reason, you should let go." The dragon chuckled.

There was nothing for it. Elizabeth Knight pushed away from the rock and let herself fall.

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	2. What Was Under the Tree

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

2

Elle curled up under a tree and tried to ignore the biting cold. She didn't know where she was. Worse, she didn't know _when _she was.

She had landed none too gently in the middle of the woods. After she had finished cursing the dragon, its ancestors, and its spawn, she had taken stock of her injuries. A split lip, bloddy knuckles, and a colorful collection of scrapes and bruises were all suvioners from her fall down the cliff. Nothing that some Neosporin wouldn't cure. Elle looked up at the sun and set off through the trees to try and figure out where she had been dumped. She wandered for hours until she came across a dirt road. She hid in the trees and hoped against hope that she had just crash landed in a renaissance faire. People in period clothing moved past, some mounted, but most on foot. In the distance, Elle caught sight of their destination, a magnificent white castle.

She was going to kill that dragon with her bare hands.

Elle pushed the dragon out of her mind and looked for cover. The sun had already started to dip low in the sky and there weren't going to be any street lights in this place. She ducked under a tree and tried to make herself comfortable. Shivering, she wished she had paid attention in Girl Scouts when they learned to build a fire. The air seemed permanently moist, and in no time her jeans were soaked through. It was already too dark for her to try and find a different place to sleep so Elle leaned back against the soft moss and tried to ignore how wet everything was.

Elle couldn't remember falling asleep, but she woke up when the tip of a sword pressed coldly against her throat. She opened her eyes, startled, and looked into the coldest pair of blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Get up slowly, witch."

She was surrounded by men on horseback, the sun only just starting to rise. Elle looked from one cold face to another, completely bewildered. She did as the man commanded and gulped past the sword still pressed to her skin.

"Is this completely necessary?" Elle asked.

She ducked to avoid the backhanded slap the knight aimed at her. The sword bit into her skin and Elle slammed her hand against the wound. Not deep. Not long. She would survive. Angrily, Elle stomped down hard on the flat of the sword and it was wretched from the knight's hand. She had startled him when she ducked, despite the blade at her throat. Had he truly been paying attention, she would never have gotten him to drop the sword.

"Was I bothering you?" Elle demanded. The other knights closed in on her angrily, but she was not interested in them. Her eyes were only on the old man. "No. I was asleep. Now, I'm sure I was very scary, lying there snoring, but take a Paxil and calm the fuck down!" She took the sword and chucked it over the knight's head so it landed somewhere in the woods. "Next time, learn some manners or, at the very least, get a better measure of who you are bothering before you swat at them!"

Uther Pendragon was a match for any man. He was a seasoned knight, a battle veteran, a proud king. But he was no match for the lecture directed at him from this petite woman. His knights poorly hid their amusement though they kept a careful eye and level sword on the stranger in case she did something stupid.

Uther was thoughtful. "If you are not a witch, how do you explain your clothes?" he asked.

She looked down at her jeans and t-shirt. No one expected her to laugh. The girl glanced carefully at the knights around her before she carefully took a step back. Without warning she launched herself into the air, tucked her knees, and executed a perfect front flip. She landed toe to toe with Uther a smile on her face. "I dress to be comfortable. And to move."

"Ladies wear dresses." Uther insisted, not impressed.

"I'm not much of a lady," Elle admitted.

"Father, this could just be a misunderstanding." Another knight spoke up. He was frowning at her, his blue eyes confused. "Perhaps it's best to just move on?"

Uther was fascinated by this strange capture. No one spoke to him that way. Ever. Morgana got her dander up every once in a while, but this was different. He dare say, refreshing. He looked her over in the pale, morning light. Someone had beaten her, Uther observed. Her lip was split and there were terrible bruises up and down her arms. Aside from the blood that dripped down her neck to stain her strange tunic, he had no idea where her injuries had come from. She was small with a head of dark curls and large dark eyes that blazed with indignation. If she would only stop scowling, she would be very pretty indeed.

"What is your name?" Uther asked, thoughtful. He still wasn't sure that he didn't want to have her killed.

"Elizabeth Knight." Elle looked up and grinned wickedly. "Buh-bye."

Uther immediately dismissed any thought of the girl being magic. She was far too scrappy. She stuck her foot into another knight's face and used him to vault herself into the tree they had found her under. Uther sighed as acorns and leaves rained down on them.

"Bring her down, but don't kill her. She is amusing, if nothing else."

"Milord, do you think her a witch?"

Uther shook his head. "I think her a fool. Get her down."

Arthur had never seen anyone move like that in his life. She was fluid and grace and very, very fast. Fortunately for his knights, she had absolutely no fighting skills. Elizabeth Knight squirmed and flailed like a boneless cat, but eventually, they got her down.

Elle sat in the moss, shivering with cold, with a dozen swords on her. Still nothing would stop that mouth. "Don't you have anything better to do?" she demanded.

Uther smiled. "I can't decide whether to execute her or applaud her," he whispered to Arthur.

"Father, we did bother her first. And I still don't think she realizes who we are. Just look at her. There is no way she is from Camelot."

"Then she will be educated. Be thankful, Elizabeth Knight, that my son has a kinder heart than I do." He turned to Arthur. "You want her to live? She is your responsibility. If there are any problems," he turned his cold eyes on Elle, "any at all, she will become my responsibility. And I deal with problems in only one way."

Elle recognized a threat when she heard one. The knights all began to mount up again and depart. One stayed behind, the one that had spoken for her. He extended his hand to her and pulled her off the ground. Her hands were freezing. Upon closer inspection, Arthur realized she was shivering head to toe, her lips almost blue with the cold.

"I'm Prince Arthur," he said.

Elle stared at him for a long time before she started swearing again. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

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	3. A Bloody Dress

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

3

"I am not wearing that." Elle was in Arthur's chambers, her arms crossed. Arthur had sent Gwen to fetch more appropriate clothes for his bizarre new charge since Merlin was on some ridiculous herb hunt for Gaius. Gwen had returned with a lovely, deep green dress embroidered at the neckline with delicate white stitches. Elle took one look at it and flushed furiously. "It's never going to happen."

Gwen stood back while Arthur and Elle faced off.

"I suggest you try to remember that you're a woman," Arthur said with frustration.

Elle snorted. "Sure, I'll just practice curtseying."

"Must you fight me at every turn?"

"Quit giving me reasons," Elle shot back.

Arthur took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. "Gwen? I suggest you leave. Because if Elizabeth doesn't stop acting like a child and put the dress on this instant, I will be assisting her with it."

The way he said 'assisting' clearly said that he was about to dress her himself, and if she got hurt, too bad. Elle laughed and without so much as warning jumped onto the prince's dinner table.

"Try it, pretty boy."

"What's going on?"

Gwen, Arthur, and Elle all turned to face the door. A tall young man with blue eyes and messy black hair stared at them with more than a little confusion.

"Merlin, get me a rope, or shackles, or … a crossbow!" Arthur spat, clearly flustered by his annoyance.

"Arthur's found another stray in the woods," Gwen whispered.

"You're Merlin?" The girl danced off of the table just as Arthur made a grab for her. Elle did not understand. Things here were wrong. Uther wasn't supposed to hate magic. Merlin wasn't supposed to be so young. Or a servant. And Guinevere was a servant as well? The legends had been so off…

Elle wondered if Merlin was even a mage.

Merlin nodded a greeting and Elle pushed her luck.

"I'm absolutely…enchanted to meet you," Elle smiled wickedly and slid back a step as Arthur made another move to coral her. She didn't miss the slight widening of Merlin's eyes or the hint of panic. At least myth got one thing right. She winked at him.

Merlin just shifted nervously.

_Seems I just can't make friends here,_ Elle thought. _But I'm definitely going to need Merlin's help if I want to get home. _

"Girl, I order you to stand still!" Elle unexpectedly obliged and Arthur nearly knocked her down. It was no good to pick fights. Elle had a job to do and the best way to do it was to keep her head down and play along. Even if Arthur was insufferable.

It was against her nature but Elle snatched the dress out of Arthur's hands. "Remember this, Arthur Pendragon. One day you'll need me to be useful and I'll be stuck in skirts!"

Arthur was already pushing Merlin out the door. "Put it on, and do so quickly. I have other things to worry about beside _you_."

The door slammed behind him.

Gwen swiftly helped Elle get into the dress. Elle did have to explain her swimsuit, but Gwen was politely confused and she didn't elaborate. The dress _was _pretty, even if Elle didn't want to admit it. Gwen had to stop her from playing with the sleeves. They kept falling off of her shoulders.

"It's supposed to be that way," Gwen said with a smile. "Now, what do we do about your hair?"

Elle snorted. "Stand back and let it do what it wants." That was how Elle had to deal with her unruly curls.

"I think you made Merlin nervous," Gwen said suddenly. "He's not the smoothest around girls. A bit clumsy, really. Besides, _he's_ usually the one giving Arthur a hard time."

"Arthur needs a hard time," Elle grumbled, tugging up the sleeves again. "Spoiled, arrogant…what an ass."

Gwen laughed and started to pin up Elle's curls. "He isn't that bad. Yes, I suppose that he can be a bit…demanding, but he is a prince, Elizabeth. He is also fair, kind, merciful, and a great number of other things."

"So his good qualities outweigh the bad?" Elle asked.

Gwen nodded and Elle sighed.

"What about Merlin?"

"He's as kind a soul as there ever was," Gwen said. "So play nice with them." She hesitated. "I heard about how Uther found you. I can't imagine what you've been through, Elizabeth, but I promise, I'll help you anyway I can. It makes things easier when you have a friend."

Elle felt like utter crap. Gwen was being so kind to her, and Elle was only there to do some dragon's bidding. She smiled weakly. "That is…thank you, Gwen."

Someone pounded on the door. "How long does it take to put a bloody dress on?"

She glanced at Gwen. "Yes, he's such a sweetie."

That's how Arthur found them, bent over laughing.

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	4. Completely Mental

**I do not own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

4

"She's mental." Arthur stared into his fireplace, brooding. Elizabeth had finally fallen asleep, curled up against the battlements with Merlin's brown jacket draped over her for warmth. Arthur and his servant had wandered up there while discussing an upcoming hunting trip, Elizabeth at their heels. They hadn't even realized how tired she must have been. They only noticed she was asleep because her biting commentary had ceased. Arthur had to carry her back down to the chambers Gwen had prepared for her.

He liked her better that way. Still and silent. Her face lost its hardness when she was asleep. Arthur even had to admit, when she wasn't frowning at him and working him into a fury, she was quite pretty. Yes, Arthur definitely preferred Elizabeth when she was sleeping.

"The way she looks at me, Merlin, you'd think I was an ogre."

Merlin could not help but smile. It did seem that Elizabeth defied Arthur based on principle alone. "I think she's just high spirited." The truth was, the girl unnerved him with her subtle hints. Merlin was convinced that she knew about his magic, but how could she? Arthur had found her in the woods, and he'd never met her before. He was certain of that. It would take a blow to the head to forget someone like Elizabeth. "Perhaps you need to give her more time to adjust to Camelot and to us."

"She gets on fine with Gwen," Arthur was determined to be moody. "And she flirts with you. What kind of daft woman overlooks a prince to flirt with a servant?"

"One with taste," Merlin said, with a smirk. "And I don't think she was. I think she was testing me."

Arthur snorted derisively. "What possible reason would she have to do that?" he asked. Merlin didn't answer. He just went back to work preparing the chamber for the morning. Arthur thought about the way they found her in the woods. Bewildered and furious. Fearless. He was impressed by her, despite himself. So what if she didn't swoon over him like the other ladies at court? He couldn't expect every girl to fancy him.

"Completely mental," he muttered.

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	5. Pretty Girls are Nuts

**I own no characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC.**

5

Merlin had not planned on confronting Elle about her insinuations. He wanted to talk to Gaius first. As usual the old physician was awake when Merlin stumbled in. It had been a long day, albeit a highly amusing one. It was a rare occasion that someone other than him challenged Arthur. Still, he had to wonder what dangerous game the girl was playing.

"There you are, Merlin? Where's your jacket? It's far too cold to be about in just a tunic." Forever worrying, Gaius frowned and looked over his charge to make sure he wasn't missing anything else. As if Merlin wouldn't notice.

Merlin had forgotten he had lent Elizabeth his jacket. He suddenly found himself picturing her shivering, her sleeves slipping off her pale shoulders. He blushed and waved off Gaius' concern. "It's fine, Gaius. But there's something else. Arthur found a girl in the woods today."

Gaius chuckled. "The way I heard, it was Uther that found her and he very nearly lopped her head off. You've met her?"

Merlin nodded. "Gaius, I think she knows what I am."

"Were you doing magic again? Merlin, I've warned you!"

"No, no," he quickly cut Gaius off before the man could get warmed up for a lecture. "She seemed to know the moment I walked in the door. She kept hinting at it all day, though she never said anything to Arthur. It was like she wanted me to know that she was onto me."

Gaius sighed heavily. "For your sake Merlin, I hope that isn't true. You need to find out how much she knows."

"And what am I to say to her?" Merlin asked flippantly. "Oi, so exactly how much of my illegal, punishable-by-death secret do you know?"

"You could start by asking her where she is from and what she was doing out in the woods. It might be that she has a secret of her own, Merlin."

That got his attention. "You think she's a sorceress?" If she was, it meant nothing good. Every time another sorcerer or sorceress showed up it meant more work for Merlin. It was getting a bit old, really.

"Well, that's your job to find out," Gaius said. "Now to bed with you."

Merlin sighed and went to his room. If Elizabeth was a sorceress it made sense. She certainly had no fear, and had an obvious disdain for being bossed about. What's more she was beautiful. For once, Merlin wanted to meet a witch that looked the part. It was incredibly difficult to protect his prince when his mind was all muddled by pretty girls.

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	6. Water

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

6

Elle slipped into the hall just after dawn. She wasn't sure how she ended up in her room, but she was grateful. She had been desperately tired. Her head swam with the events of the last twenty-four hours. Characters from her favorite stories were alive and well, if not exactly what she expected them to be. She frowned. It was possible that she had been a bit short tempered the day before. Or maybe the Once and Future King she was supposed to be helping was a prick.

Either way.

Her muscles ached, but Elle tried not to limp as she searched out the court's physician. It had taken very little persuasion to get an overeager servant to tell her that Merlin stayed in the physician's quarters. Now, if she could only find him, she could get to work.

Merlin's jacket was slung over her arm. She could multitask. She could get something for her bruises and shredded knuckles, give the boy back his jacket, and maybe find out what was going on. There had to be a way for him to help her find Fire, Wind, and Earth. And maybe he could get her home.

She found the right place and was about to knock but she heard slightly raised voices inside. She cracked the door and peeked in.

"I don't have to tell you that until you have her measure, you cannot use magic, Merlin. Don't give her any excuse to turn you into the king." Merlin looked half asleep. He mumbled something and stared at the bowl Gaius had put in front of him. "I mean it, Merlin. You need to find out what she's doing here and what her intentions are."

Elle cleared her throat and both men turned and stared at her as she pushed the door open further.

Merlin felt his stomach drop to the floor. Elizabeth stood in the doorway, her expression amused. Gaius looked from him to Elizabeth. "Can I help you with something, my lady?" he asked as though they hadn't just been talking about magic.

"Please, Merlin, get that look off of your face." She stepped into the room and closed the door quietly behind her. "I'm not here to out you. Honestly, I wouldn't be here at all if I could help it."

"I don't understand," Merlin and Gaius both stayed very still. He hoped if they didn't move, Elizabeth might lose interest and wonder away.

Elle hesitated. "I'm not from here, Merlin. And I don't just mean that I'm not from Camelot. I'm not…I'm not from this time. I was sent here to help Arthur. I'm supposed to be a piece of the puzzle. There are three others. People destined to protect him."

"You shouldn't speak of such things. Sorcery is banned in Camelot," Merlin pretended to be oblivious and she felt her temper flare again. "If Uther heard you, you would be killed."

Elle glanced at Gaius, but walked resolutely over to the young warlock and knelt on the ground in front of him. He had no choice but to look at her. "We both know my secret is safe with you, Merlin. Where I come from there are books, epics poems, even movies about King Arthur, his queen, and the wizard that helps him every step of the way. I know that I can trust you, because I know that you are like me."

It was too much for Merlin to process. His brain turned to mush when she turned those eyes on him. "What's a movie?"

Elle smiled and put her hand over his tin teacup. Without a word, Merlin watched the hot liquid gather beneath her hand in a tidy, little ball. She moved it from hand to hand, and it floated above her fingers. Slowly she lowered it back into the cup. "I can't do this without you. I don't know how to start or where to look."

"You. You're from the future?" Merlin's jaw was on the floor, but Gaius recovered quickly.

"It gets worse. I'm from Jersey." Elle smirked at the joke they couldn't possibly understand.

Gaius shook his head. "But that sort of magic is beyond any sorceress."

"It wasn't me. It was a dragon."

Merlin started at that. "A dragon?" He stood up suddenly and caught her arm and pulled her off of her knees. "Come with me."

"Merlin!" Gaius' tone was laced with surprise.

"It's fine, Gaius. Elizabeth and I need to talk." He pulled her out of the room and Gaius was left to ponder this new information. If there was a dragon meddling in the future, it stood to reason that there was one meddling in the past. Gaius was only releaved that Merlin knew nothing about it.

Exactly where are we going?" Elle could hardly keep up with Merlin as he pulled her across the courtyard. She jerked her arm out of his grip and shook the feeling back into her hand.

"I don't believe you," Merlin said at last. "I don't believe that the dragon sent you here. He told me it was _my_ destiny to protect Arthur. Don't you think I'll keep him safe without help?"

She had no idea what he was talking about but it hardly mattered. Merlin didn't give her a chance to answer. He just started walking again and Elle jogged to stay at his side. "I'm sure you've got it handled. I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do, anyhow." She smiled slightly, but Merlin was still too worked up. No one was supposed to know about his powers. It would get him killed. He had foolishly told Edwin, thinking that he had found a kindred spirit in a fellow warlock, and Edwin had used it against Gaius. What would this stranger do with his secret?

Merlin did not want to wait around and find out. He wanted answers.

"What do you want me to say?" Elle demanded. "I'm not your enemy, Merlin. I just want to do whatever it is I'm meant to, and go home."

He finally stopped. She had followed him down a stairwell. He put his fingers to his mouth for her to be silent. He looked down the steps at the guards that sat playing cards. His eyes flashed a burning gold and their helmets slipped down over their eyes, stuck. Merlin yanked Elle down the steps and they both dashed through another door that the guards had been…well, guarding. He led her down into the dark, a torch their only light.

"Merlin?"

There was just enough fear in her voice that he paused at the foot of the stairs. "What?"

"Merlin, I don't like being underground."

He sighed. He didn't have it in him to be malicious, no matter how mad he was at Elle for knowing he was a sorcerer. It was her eyes, he decided. Wide and dark they held no animosity. Only confusion and bit of irritation. "It's alright," he said. "I'm sorry. This shouldn't take long. Elizabeth, you need to understand something." He fixed her with his piercing blue stare, willing her to appreciate what he was about to say. "Every time magic comes to Camelot it endangers the people that I care about. I will not stand to see any of them hurt. Beyond Arthur, that means Gaius, Gwen, even Uther. Morgana. My mother."

Elle planted her hands on her hips. "Merlin…you are being ridiculous. I have no interest in hurting anyone." She glanced around and Merlin got the impression she was mouthing off because she was nervous. "What are we _doing_ down here?"

Merlin grimaced and disappeared through the door at the end of the staircase. Elle had no choice but to stick with him.

"No," Elle moaned when she saw where Merlin had brought her. "Not again." She scrambled away from the ledge and flattened herself against the door.

Merlin peeled her away from the exit and held her in place at his side. "What's gotten into you?"

Elle pointed to her split lip. "The last time I was in this cave, a fucking dragon knocked me down the cliff. I woke up here…in your time."

"Where are you!" Merlin doubted that the dragon would need to beat up a woman, but he also had thought the beast was his friend. He had been wrong then, too. They heard the heavy sound of a chain being dragged along stone and the dragon flew up to land on an outcropping of rock.

"Well, well. The young warlock returns. And you've brought a friend." The dragon's deep voice echoed against the rock walls.

"I'm no friend of yours," Elle spat.

Merlin had to admire Elizabeth. He could feel her shaking next to him, scared out of her mind, but she was still ready to do battle.

"So you want my advice again?" The dragon said haughtily. "Now that I can explain a thing or two, you want my help? What happened to never seeing you again, Merlin?" He nudged his nose at Elle and she scrambled back into Merlin. The beast sniffed the air and his eyes narrowed. "It's about time all the pieces fall into place."

"My dream last night…"

"Yes, Merlin. Since you decided not to visit me, I had to take matters in my own claws. You helped Arthur survive thus far alone. But Camelot is out of balance. Without balance Arthur will fall."

"You are useless," Elle spat. "You talk in circles and riddles. What good are you?" The dragon huffed but Elle wasn't finished. "You deserve to be trapped beneath the ground. You belong here. We do not. Have a fucking great life." Elle grabbed Merlin by his neckerchief and dragged him back to the door. "And when you meet me in the future, you will want to remember this moment. Maybe you'll think twice before you rip me from my life."

The dragon snarled. It knew very well that Merlin could protect himself from his flames. But this girl…this girl that reeked of ocean air, and forest springs, and thunder was not as powerful as Merlin. She could not be allowed to ruin his plans. He needed Arthur to be free. He needed Merlin to keep Arthur safe. But this girl was replaceable. He gulped in great breaths of air and felt the fire in his stomach. He belched them outward and watched with a combined sense of fascination and alarm as the girl raised her arms.

Elle did not utter a word. She simply held her hands out. From somewhere in the gorge bellow the water rushed to do her bidding. It rose like a curtain, an impossible river in midair. She and Merlin were struck by a cloud of steam as the dragon's breath hit the water. They both flinched away, but were unharmed.

Merlin just stared at her. It was like his dream had told him. Deep. Mysterious. Powerful. He held Elle against him and dragged her back into the stairwell. "Water," he whispered.

Elle nodded. "Water."

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	7. Competition

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

7

"Honestly, _Mer_lin, where have you been? I've been waiting for breakfast for ages."

Merlin burst into Arthur's room. The prince was so annoyed by his lateness, he didn't even chastise Merlin for not knocking. Merlin placed the tray on the table and smiled. "Sorry, Sire. But did you know that you have these glorious things called legs that might have brought you down to the kitchens and back? And arms. They would have let you carry your own breakfast."

Arthur threw a dirty shirt into Merlin's face and the younger man flailed clumsily until he resurfaced.

"Well, I hope you have a good excuse for being late," Arthur pressed.

"Well…"

Merlin fingered the collar of his jacket. Elle had traded it back to him for his promise to never take her to the dragon's cave again. They agreed to talk later, about what they could do to get her home. She had also told him to stop calling her Elizabeth.

"It's Elle," she whispered, handing him the jacket. She had run off to find Gwen and Merlin had raced to the kitchens.

Merlin could have told Arthur that he had been running about with Elizabeth… Elle… but after the way Arthur brooded last night Merlin thought it best to blame Gaius.

"Well, I needed to…"

"Oh, I'm not all that interested in the details of your life, Merlin." Arthur attacked his breakfast enthusiastically. "I was curious if you could perhaps cover for me today. I'm supposed to go on patrol with father again since Elizabeth interrupted last time."

Merlin felt an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu. "What are you going to do instead?"

Arthur grinned over his toast. "I want to show Elizabeth around. Father told me to educate her about Camelot. I'm only following orders."

"Couldn't you tell him that yourself?" Merlin asked. He went to work making Arthur's bed and setting out his chain mail. He'd have to run out and fetch Arthur's armor as well, get his horse saddled, pack him some food, make sure his sword was sharpened… he sighed.

Arthur had been speaking that whole time. "Are you even listening, Merlin?"

"Hardly." That earned the warlock a splattering of oatmeal on his tunic.

Arthur hastened to get himself dressed while Merlin gathered up the dirty clothes. "I said if I tell father, he'll insist that I finish the patrol first. It could be dark by then."

While Merlin often needed urging to be even an average servant, he rarely disobeyed a direct request from Arthur. Still Merlin could not help but set his jaw and shake his head.

"Arthur, if I try and lie for you again, Uther will see right through me. I might as well walk out to the square and put myself in the stocks."

"Come on, Merlin. Where is your sense of adventure?"

Merlin smiled. "Lying to the king is too grand an adventure for me."

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter."

Morgana stuck her head in the door. "Uther is looking for you, Arthur." That settled their debate. If Uther sent Morgana, there was no way Arthur could slip away for a day off with the castle's newest damsel. "Don't you scowl at me, Arthur Pendragon," Morgana warned. She turned on Merlin who was surreptitiously wiping the oatmeal off his tunic with the corner of Arthur's bed sheet. "Rumor has it you two have another stray. What are you going to do when this one leaves, Arthur? Hunt down every deer in the Darkling Woods?"

Arthur made a face.

"Well, where have you stashed her?" Morgana wanted to know.

Arthur said, "Down the hall," the same moment Merlin answered, "She's with Gwen."

Morgana nodded slowly, her forehead creased. "Alright then. Don't forget Uther is waiting for you, Arthur." She slipped out of the room and left Arthur glaring at Merlin, who was suddenly fascinated by something out the window.

"Why did you say you were late again?" Arthur asked, his voice dangerously pleasant.

Merlin scratched at the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "I thought you weren't interested in the details of my life."

That time the porridge hit him in the face.

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	8. Uther Muses

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

8

Morgana found her maidservant sitting on the palace steps next to a small cloaked figure. They were talking animatedly, their hands moving with the excitement of the conversation. "Gwen, you didn't tell me that you knew Arthur's latest catch." The girl must have said something because Gwen burst into laughter as she stood up and bobbed a fast curtsey to Morgana. The girl stiffly heaved herself to her feet as well.

"Milady, this is Elle Knight."

The girl dropped her hood and Morgana found herself looking into the massive dark eyes from her dream. Elle smiled up at her. "Gwen has told me such wonderful things about you…Lady Morgana." She said Morgana's title a bit awkwardly, unused to addressing people in that manner.

Morgana seemed to be a bit unsure herself. Her smile faltered for only a moment before she warmly grasped Elle's hands. "It is a pleasure to meet the girl that had Arthur's knights climbing trees." While Elle laughed, Morgana looked over the hands she clasped in her own. They were badly skinned, the knuckles bloody and swollen. Her arms were a collection of dark blue and purple welts. A long scab marred the otherwise pale skin of her throat and her lip was split.

"Elle? Have you been to see the court physician?" Morgana asked. She looked pointedly down at Elle's hands.

Elle rolled her eyes. "You sound just like Gwen. She's been trying to convince me all morning. A few lumps are good for you, milady. It lets you know that you're alive." The truth was she was afraid to go back and face Gaius without Merlin. "Besides, I've had worse than bruises and sore muscles. I'm one of five. Smack in the middle of four brothers. You collect a fair few bruises dealing with boys."

Morgana nodded, delighted. This was no stuffy court lady who thought women and swords didn't mix. She had even defied Uther and lived to tell the tale. That was a privilege that, until now, only Morgana had experienced.

"Gwen said you used to beat Arthur with swords. Is that true?" Elle wanted to know.

"Not the way he tells it," Morgana laughed.

Uther watched the three young women in the courtyard from his balcony. The wind carried their laughter up to him and he gave a small nod of satisfaction. Perhaps it had been wise to spare the girl's life. She seemed to make friends easily when they weren't threatening her with swords. He would consider allowing her to stay. Not yet, of course. He wanted to be sure the girl would not cause trouble.

"Father."

Arthur sauntered onto the balcony, dressed and ready for patrol. He took his place at Uther's side and surveyed the courtyard, as well.

"Elizabeth seems to be fitting in well. She's even in a dress. How ever will she move?" Uther chuckled at the memory of their first meeting. "She might be a lady, yet. Do you know if she is of noble blood?"

Arthur shrugged. He watched as Morgana and Gwen laughed at something Elizabeth said. Gwen tried to spin on her toes but wobbled dangerously. Morgana tried next, but did little better than Gwen. They collapsed on each other, crying in their mirth.

"They certainly seem to be enjoying themselves," Uther said with a sidelong glance at his sullen son. He could guess what put him in a sour mood. Every time a beautiful girl appeared at court, Arthur would get that glazed look in his eye. The surly expression could only mean that the girl had not been interested. All the better. There would be plenty of broken hearts in Camelot if Elizabeth had to leave, no doubt Arthur's would be among them. Better that the boy not get attached.

"The sooner we leave, the sooner we can return and you can join them."

The girls were clapping for Elizabeth. She shook her head but Morgana grabbed her hand and pled. Arthur knew that expression after years of being at the receiving end. The expression that clearly said, 'I get my way'. Elizabeth must have given in because Morgana laughed happily and stepped back. The girl's dark cloak breezed out around her than clung to her body as Elizabeth gracefully moved to her toes and exicuted a perfect pirouette. Morgana groaned jealously but Gwen applauded.

"I think she will be happy here, Arthur." Uther never took his eyes off the girls in the courtyard. "She could be good for this place."

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	9. Wind

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

9

Merlin was not welcome on patrol and that suited him just fine. With Arthur gone he had far less to do. It wasn't as though he could polish armor or repair tack when Arthur was off using it. He should have been doing laundry, cleaning Arthur's chambers, mucking out the stables, or the like, but he couldn't think. His mind kept drifting to Elle.

He no longer saw her as a threat to his secret, that was for sure. Their words with the dragon were enough to convince him that all Elle really wanted was to go home. She wasn't in Camelot to hurt his friends or use his secret against him. It was revitalizing to know another sorcerer and not be fearful of the consequence.

He also wasn't certain that Elle's powers, while impressive in their own right, were like his. He noticed the bit of a wobble she had coming back up the steps from the dragon's dungeons. She simply wasn't as strong as he was.

It hardly mattered. Elle knew how to use the strength she had.

He found Elle with Gwen and Morgana in the lady's chambers. Elle was sitting stiffly on the window ledge, her face a carefully neutral mask while she gossiped with the other two women.

"Elle. I'm to take you to Gaius." The look in Merlin's eyes clearly said that this was code for 'we need to talk so ditch the non-magic folk and let's go'. Elle smiled and climbed off the window. A barely perceivable wince flashed across her features, but she smoothed it out almost instantly.

Gaius went to work on her hands the second Merlin ordered Elle to sit on the work bench. "Are you two sorted out?" Gaius asked as he worked. There were bits of dirt and gravel caught in the swollen, torn skin and he went to work with deft hands and oddly shaped tweezers picking it all out.

"She's here to help," Merlin said as he grabbed an apple off the table. "But we need to figure out what her purpose is and then send her home."

Elle nodded vigorously. "It's a bit creepy knowing that I won't even be born for almost fifteen hundred years. It makes my skin crawl."

Gaius stopped his work and looked at her in amazement. "Fifteen hundred years. Is that when you're from?" Elle nodded and whimpered as Gaius' attention returned to her hands. "Are things very different?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Elle admitted. Sweat broke out over her forehead and she began to feel woozy. She had used a considerable amount of magic that morning against the dragon, and now the pain was making her light headed. God, she hated being such a sissy.

"Gaius, Elle was sent as one of four elements. There are four people destined to help and protect Arthur. She's one. My track record points to me as another. There are two more people somewhere." Merlin dove right in.

"It isn't that simple," Elle squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on the task at hand instead of the bloody mess that was under Gaius' scrutiny. "The dragon said that Camelot wasn't stable. The people that surround Arthur have to be balanced. Elemental."

Merlin nodded. "Well, it's clear that you are Water," he said thoughtfully. "What about me?"

Elle panted and Gaius paused so that she could catch her breath. "I've only known you for a day, Merlin. The elements can be shown in the very essence of a person." She blushed. "Water is joyful and playful. It can be deep or shallow, depending on the situation and…water is power." She held up her free hand and little bolts of lightning jumped between her fingers. Her face turned ashen at the effort and she immediately put her hand down.

"How about fire?" Merlin asked. He thought he would like that.

"Fire?" Elle thought about it. "Temperamental, passionate, fearless, and hungry…consuming. That doesn't sound much like you." She looked to Gaius for conformation.

"Certainly not." Elle yelped as Gaius went back to her hands.

"If anything, you're Wind, Merlin. Think about it. Secretive. Devious. Spontanious…"

"I believe she is right," Gaius said. "You're powers are all very wind oriented. You can move things without touching them, slow time. Like it or not, boy, no one is more devious and troublesome than you. How many times have you found yourself in the stocks since you've been here?

"And your life depends on you being secretive." Elle smiled even as the room tipped and swerved around her. She tried to get a grip on the pain and the roaring in her ears. "Wind and Water. Any ideas where we look for Fire and Earth?"

She was only vaguely aware that she slid off the bench and crashed to the floor in a crumpled pile of limbs and skirts. She had over extended herself, used too much of her power in one go. She should never have tried to call an _entire_ river up thousands of feet, even if it was the only thing between her and the dragon's flames. She was certainly paying for it now.

She could see Merlin's worried face hovering above her, but the roar in her ears was too loud to make out what he was saying.

Stupid dragon.

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	10. Big Mouth

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

10

When Elle woke up her fingers and palms were bandaged and, after several cups of water, she felt immensely better. She had Gaius to thank for that. Merlin watched her nervously, afraid that she might over reach herself again. She finally swatted him away playfully. His supervision was unnecessary. With Gaius' help, they continued their talk about Elements. While they both agreed that they were to represent Water and Wind, they did not know where to look for Earth or Fire. They didn't know of any other sorcerers in Camelot and, even if they did, how did one even broach the taboo topic of magic?

Merlin and Elle were clustered together at the work bench, their heads bent over Merlin's magic book. They had moved on from the Elements to try and find Elle a way home. They dismissed one unlikely idea after another as they examined each page. Merlin had just suggested that Elle take up a trade and find a nice farm boy when Gaius came in with an empty basket. Merlin crashed to the floor as Elle shoved him off the bench.

"I want to go home and you suggest I get _comfortable_?" Merlin was laughing too hard at her reaction to be upset that she had just dumped him on the ground.

"Sorry, Merlin. I need more yarrow and dittany. Off with you, now." Gaius ruined their fun with a slight frown on his face. It didn't seem that Merlin was looking too hard for a way to send the girl home. That was a conversation he would have to have with the boy when they were alone. Elle sighed and handed Merlin back his illegal book. She watched him leave with the basket still chuckling, and Elle could not help but smile.

Elle stayed in the physician's quarters, picking at her bandages as Gaius moved from one experiment to another and mumbled to himself.

"Gaius?"

He looked up from one of his books. "Hm?"

"Gaius, this isn't how it's supposed to be. I've read the stories about Camelot and King Arthur. They got nearly everything wrong." Elle frowned and chewed on her lip. "In the stories, magic is embraced not banned. And it was Arthur that built Camelot, not his father. Merlin was never a servant. Guinevere was queen, not a handmaid. And Morgana…" Elle thought about the pleasant woman that had toured her around the castle and spoken to her like a friend. "Morgana is Arthur's enemy. Her son kills him."

Gaius listened carefully. "Perhaps they are just stories. I can imagine that things would grow skewed after more than a thousand years."

Elle nodded. She would never make him understand that at the end of the story, Camelot was lost. She excused herself and wandered outside. She was beginning to feel edgy. She left the castle grounds, hoping to find Merlin and relieve her sudden restless energy. She recognized the tree she had slept under her first night in Camelot. She kept going. Something was calling to her.

Elle found the lake, surrounded by trees and glistening in the sun. Her relief was instantaneous. She had been feeling dry since her encounter with the dragon, and a swim was exactly what she needed.

Her swimsuit beneath her clothes, as usual, Elle slunk out of her dress and stepped into the lake. She would have been satisfied with a pool, or even the ocean, but this lake thrummed with a power she did not understand. It was intoxicating. The water welcomed her like an old friend and she had to deal with its coddling for a bit. It rolled over her skin, caressing, tickling, chastising her for not arriving sooner.

Elle dunked herself and stayed down, letting herself relax amid the cleansing element. Breathing underwater was never something she had to be concerned with. She simply could. Still she could not ignore the sense that she was led there by some unknown force. She could feel it still, somewhere in the water. Nothing alive, just a presence that made her skin tingle and excited her gift.

Magic, in its purest form.

It whispered to her, drawing her deeper into the inky black folds of the depths. The lake was far deeper than it appeared. Far deeper than was possible.

_Water is ageless,_ it said. _Wind is timeless. Earth is eternal. Fire may burn out, but it can always be rekindled. What was once can be again, when the Elements a line._

Elle gasped, which was a strange sensation underwater. Whatever it was, it was talking about the Elements. Talking to her.

_Time will not touch them, though memory fade and reason fail. When the Elements rejoin, what was once will be again._

Elle hated riddles. She listened as the magic repeated itself over and over. She was going to have to tell Merlin about this. Between the two of them and Gaius, they might be able to weed out some sense.

Elle launched herself to the surface. The air felt cold and wonderful against her skin. She swam about lazily for a bit, trying to think up some sort of theory on her own. She'd start looking bad if she let Merlin come up with all the answers. She was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't hear the crash of footsteps through the brush or the derisive laughter from the bank. It wasn't until she caught motion out of the corner of her eye that Elle realized she was in danger.

The only way to describe them was _thugs_. There were six of them, filthy and scarred from their hard lives as brigands. They were at the bank staring at her and Elle became miserably conscious that bikinis were not normal apparel for ladies in Camelot. She met a dozen greedy eyes and stayed away from the bank, out of their reach.

"Look at this, lads. A pretty forest flower has shed its petals." One of the men, a brute with a scar across his face, found her dress in the grass and picked it up. He smelt it and leered out at Elle. "Has no one warned you girl? There are dangerous men about."

Well, duh.

It might have been wise to stay silent and simply sink back beneath the waves, let the idiot thieves think she was a water sprite or demon. But Elle's mouth was not about to let her do something smart.

"Yo. Hands off."

The men laughed at that. A shorter man grabbed her dress from the scared one and pulled out a knife. "That's not polite, milady. I think we'll all have a piece." He began to hack at the dress, tearing it apart. "Of the dress and of you."

Elle rolled her eyes. Unless they had plans of going into the water, she was safe.

"Come out the water, lass."

Elle laughed, humorlessly. "Are you stupid as well as ugly? I druther live at the bottom of this lake than take one step closer to you." The men's suggestive smiles vanished.

_Oh, little sister,_ the water whispered and Elle could feel it through her body. _Flee. _

That was when Elle realized that more than one of the men carried ornately decorated staffs tipped with colored glass or polished rock. Beyond thieves, they were sorcerers.

"Shit."

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	11. Cutting It Close

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

11

Elle was dragged through the water by unseen hands.

"Hey! You can't use magic on a person without permission!" It wasn't written in stone anywhere, but it was a basic rule. Mages had to follow it or run the risk of utter chaos. They'd never be able to trust each other if the constant threat of magic hung in the air. "Stop!"

The sorcerer with the scar laughed. "Listen to her telling us the code, lads!" Elle was dragged closer to the bank, but she was not helpless. She sunk beneath the waves and let the water become a barrier between her and the men that awaited her at the surface.

She could see flashes of light and felt the force of the magic dragging her upward strengthen. Unfair. What was she supposed to do against a _team_ of mages all working together? Elle broke the surface against her wishes, though the water clung to her, desperate to hold her where she would be safe.

The sorcerers would have had to have been fools not to notice the wave that flooded the bank as they finally grabbed her out of lake and the grass flooded. Elle was slippery as an eel as she thrashed and flailed. None of them had ever seen a person twist and flip that way. One of the men managed to get in a lucky shot and knock her across the face. Stars exploded in her vision and Elle collapsed into the grass.

"What manner of creature have we here, gentlemen?" The thieves circled her, made wary by the wave that had come off of the otherwise placid lake. "A naiad, maybe?"

"She looks human enough to me," another said hungrily. One of them, a fat, disgusting man with greasy hair yanked her up and Elle felt the slick touch of his tongue drag across her cheek.

Elle shrieked angrily and forgot the rule about not using magic on another without permission. Electricity exploded across her skin and raced across the flooded grass. The man holding her let go in pain and the others all yelped, suitably distracted.

Blood roared in her ears as she was reminded of how incredibly stupid she was. It was only a few hours ago that she had lifted a river thousands of feet to neutralize the dragon. She had known she was hyper extended, known that she would have to take it easy until her gift had time to recharge. Maybe Merlin was right. She did need supervision. She needed a straight jacket and a rubber fucking room.

Dammit.

The lightning fizzled. Her magic was completely tapped out and all she had managed to do was piss off six supernatural thugs.

Someone twisted her hair in their grubby fist and yanked her out of the dirt. A body was pressed against her back and Elle slammed her head back. She heard a satisfying crunch and she was thrown back to the ground. If nothing else, she had broken a nose. Elle tried to remember the basic self-defense classes she had taken with her mom, but all she could hear was her older brother's voice in her head. _You get in trouble, Elle, kick him in the jewels and run like hell._

She wondered if kicking and crawling like hell would work. The world around her tipped and dove in a surreal blur. The men had all recovered from their electrocution. They stood between her and the lake, their expressions murderous.

"Don't let her near the water, lads," the scarred brute said. As if the water could help her now. It was hard to hear them over the static in her head. She couldn't think with the ground spinning like that.

_Help is coming. _Who the hell was that? It wasn't the voice in the water that had spoken softly and smoothly. This voice was just pissed off. _Just hang on, Elle._

"Merlin?"

That was when the first brigand flew into the air and slammed into a tree with a sickening thud. The other sorcerers were immediately on guard but it did them no good. Another thug screamed as a giant tree branch broke off and landed across his chest. Elle was forgotten. The threat of some unseen magic was enough to kill whatever plans they had for the girl twitching in the mud.

There was the sound of hooves and a dozen horses crashed through the brush. Enchanters or not, they did not stand a chance against Arthur and his knights. Especially since the sorcerers seemed to be tripping over their own feet, their weapons flying out of their grasping hands.

Arthur had been on patrol. They had been ridding past the point where they had found Elizabeth the morning before when they heard screams of anger and pain. He had no idea what they would find, but right before they broke through the trees Arthur saw a man fly into the air and slam into a tree. He knew sorcery when he saw it. Indeed most of the brigands that stood stunned by the lake carried staffs and tried to use them against the knights that poured over them. Uther had been especially merciless against the highway men.

Arthur ran the final man through and pulled his sword free with a sickening, sssslurrrrrrrp. He hadn't expected to find Elizabeth curled up against the trunk of a tree, her dark eyes wide with pain. She was covered in mud, her body wracked with spasms and scandalously revealed. He wasn't sure what she was wearing, but if Uther saw her, there would be hell to pay. He ripped his cloak off and covered her quickly. Arthur saw her dress, torn and trampled and felt a flame of overwhelming anger burn through him.

"What happened to you?"

She didn't seem able to answer.

"Don't stand there like a fool. Get her to Gaius," Arthur heard his father hiss in his ear. No more encouragement was needed. Arthur gathered her up and mounted his horse. He spurred the beast into a fool gallop, heedless of trees and all else. The knights followed him at a slower pace, their faces drawn.

No one saw a frantic, blue eyed warlock where he was hidden among the trees. If he hadn't heard her scream…Merlin shuddered and took one last look at the bodies that the knights had left scattered for the animals. Scummer. It was exactly what they deserved.

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	12. Say Thank You

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

12

"For the last time, I'm fine."

Elle was in the middle of a frenzy. Only Uther and Merlin were still, leaning watchful but silent against the wall. Arthur, Morgana, Gaius, and Gwen all fluttered about fluffing pillows, checking her injuries, and driving her crazy.

"Please, people, I'm alright!"

Arthur gritted his teeth as she yanked her pillow away from him and hit him with it. "Elizabeth, you were nearly…if we hadn't gotten there…" he couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence.

"But you did get there, and I'm fine. _Put another blanket on me and I'll make you eat it!_" Elle snarled and glared at the prince.

Merlin snickered and shook his head. Elle had slept for two days while her magic returned and her body slowly relaxed. When she finally woke up her only complaint was her thirst. Merlin had had to run back and forth to the well near a dozen times before Elle had been satisfied.

He still hadn't had a chance to talk to Elle about what had happened. Someone, either Gwen or Morgana, was always at her side. Arthur visited when he could, but Uther kept him busy. There was always a patrol to ride or an audience to sit in on. Father and son were there now because, Merlin suspected, Uther had heard about Elle's foul temper and wanted to expose Arthur to a bit of abuse. It seemed like something Uther would do.

Elle wobbled a bit, but managed to stand up straight, her hands at her hips. Arthur quickly handed the blanket he was holding to Morgana and acted like that was his intention all along.

"Back to your old self," the king said with a slight smile. "I expect better judgment from you in the future. Ladies never go into the woods on their own."

Elle rubbed the bruise on her cheek that was her worst injury from her encounter with the brigands. "I'm not much of a lady, Sire." Arthur rolled his eyes and Uther gave a narrow smile, remembering her words on the day they found her. "I hate to sound ungrateful, but can everyone please stop fussing? You're driving me crazy."

That was all the excuse Uther needed. "I am pleased you are well," the king said before he swept from the room. Gaius nodded and put his hand on Merlin's shoulder before he left. Of course, the old physician knew who had really done the saving at the lake. Morgana hugged Elle tightly. "Don't scare us like that again," she whispered into the younger girl's ear. Elle grinned sheepishly as Gwen patted her uninjured cheek and the girls exited.

That left only the prince and his servant.

Arthur glared until, with a sigh, Merlin winked at Elle and left.

"Is it so difficult for you to stay out of trouble?" Arthur demanded. He crossed his arms in that superior way that could only he could pull off. "Honestly, I can't let you out of my sight."

"Find a way," Elle grumbled and went to work making her bed. She was filled with restless energy again. The same sense of edginess that had drawn her to the lake. She needed to talk to Merlin, find out what was leading her to these clues, and figure out the clues themselves. They had Elements to hunt out, and she had wasted two days sleeping because she didn't follow basic mage sense and listen to her body. She was listening now. Aside from the magical tension that was pressing on her, she could feel Arthur watching her move about the room. She fixed him with an annoyed glance. "What _is_ it Arthur, you're giving me the creeps." Elle threw a dirty sock at him and he let it bounce off his chest unnoticed.

"You had Morgana worried to death," Arthur said quickly. "She and Gwen just sat here crying like you were on your deathbed."

Elle made a face. "Well, I'm fine."

Arthur took a step forward and Elle reflexively danced a step back. "But you only just met them. How could they feel so attached to you after only a day?"

"You only met me the day before, and I haven't managed to get rid of you yet, either." Her tone was tired but teasing.

"Lucky you." Arthur played with the tin cup on the table. "Even father was concerned. He hates everyone. What have you done to us, Elizabeth?"

Elle snorted. "You need to start calling me Elle," she ordered.

"Are you a noble, Elle?"

She shrugged. "I'm upper-middle class." She wasn't surprised when he looked at her with confusion. Her nerves hummed, urging her to leave, to go, to find the power calling to her. Arthur shifted uneasily, too, as if her restlessness was catching.

Elle frowned and stopped her ceaseless motion. "What is the matter with you, Pendragon? You look like…" She didn't get to tell him what he looked like. He grabbed her before she could slip away and crushed his mouth against hers. Arthur didn't know why he did it, other than he was so relieved that she was ok. But once his mouth claimed hers, he kicked himself for not doing it sooner. Heat raced through him and breathing became a luxury he wasn't interested in.

Elle made a sound like an angry cat and yanked away from him. "Are you _insane_?"

"Most girls just say thank you," Arthur said, his breath a bit ragged.

"Then go kiss them, you insufferable pain in the ass!" She dragged the back of her hand across her mouth as if she were trying to rid it of all traces of the prince. "Do I look like fucking Snow White? ARRG!" She tried to shove past him, but he didn't so much as budge. She only succeeded in jarring her shoulder and getting close enough for him to catch her arm again.

He frowned. "Why do you always have to be so difficult?" he demanded.

"Maybe for the same reason you are a complete idiot," Elle tried to tug away from him, but his hand was like a band of iron around her arm. He wasn't hurting her, but he wasn't letting her go either. "It's simply in my nature. Let go."

"I will not," Arthur snapped. "In fact, I think I'll kiss you again." He was annoyed by her denial, and that she insisted on fighting him, even for this.

Elle hissed. "Try it and I'll bite you, pretty boy."

He laughed and pulled Elle closer. "See? You think I'm pretty." He leaned in to kiss her again but instead of her lips, he felt the clap of her hand across his face. It didn't hurt, but the action alone was enough to stun him. He let her go with a huff and Elle dashed out of the room.

"What just happened here?" Arthur asked himself. He left the room quietly. He didn't know why he was surprised. He already knew that Elizabeth was completely mental.

Outside, it started to rain.

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	13. Whispers in the Water

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

13

"It's raining."

Gaius looked out the window, a frown on his face. Merlin was busy crushing birch leaves, looking supremely bored and more relaxed than Gaius had seen the boy in days. No doubt Elle's recovery had something to do with that. The physician stared through the glass trying to distinguish the shapes obscured by the rain. He had watched the storm clouds appear rather suddenly, pinching out the last of the day's sun. Too quickly the rain began to fall, almost desperate to reach the ground, to reach someone. Gaius saw a small figure bolt across the courtyard and sighed.

"I think something has upset, Elle," Gaius said.

Merlin looked up. "Why would you say that?" the warlock asked.

"Because she just ran out the castle. I think the rain is hers, as well. It came on too fast to be anything but magical."

Merlin was already tugging on his boots and putting his arms through the sleeves of his jacket. "She shouldn't be running about. Not after what happened last time." He didn't savor the thought of going out into the storm. "What direction was she headed?"

Gaius fixed Merlin with a knowing grimace. "Toward the lake."

Merlin cursed Elle's obsession with trouble. It was lucky he knew his way to the lake and he used his memory to guide him. It would have been pointless to bring a torch or a lantern. It was simply raining too hard to keep a fire lit. If Elle _was_ responsible for the storm, she was pissed about something.

The lake was alive with ripples and wakes as the rain pelted down. Merlin stood at the bank, but it was impossible for him to see. His eyes briefly flashed gold and the rain slowed in its descent to the Earth. That's when he spotted her.

Truly, this was magic.

Elle was in the lake, her tunic soaked through, clinging to the soft curves of her body. The rain spiraled around her, twisting midair to slide against her skin. Her arms were raised to the water above, even as the lake lapped against her knees. Her head was tilted to the side, listening, contemplative.

"Merlin?"

Time sped up again. He hadn't realized that she was watching him, too.

"Elle, what are you doing out here?" Merlin had to shout to be heard over the storm.

Elle waded back to the bank and reached for his hand. "Merlin, you have to hear this." She tried to lead him into the lake but he dug his heels in. He saw images of Lady Sophia trying to drown Arthur in this very lake and had no desire to reenact the scene with Elle. As if she could read his mind, Elle made a face. "You just need your toes in. Come on, big baby."

Merlin allowed himself to be pulled forward and Elle let him stop once his feet were covered, as promised. She kept hold of his hands and almost immediately Merlin heard a gentle whisper. It wasn't in his ears. He would never have been able to hear such soft words over the storm. Whatever was whispering was putting it right into his head.

Surprised, Merlin jerked his hands away from Elle. The whispers immediately stopped. "What is that?"

"There is something in this lake," Elle said resolutely. "And it's been trying to clue me into the Elements. I was going to tell you about it, but now you're here. Listen!"

She was so excited he couldn't refuse. Merlin let her take his hands again and the words trickled into his mind.

_Earth. Wind. Water. Fire. Four drawn from magic and to each other_.

"It's talking about us!"

"Shhh. Listen," Elle instructed.

_Fire and Wind are a force to be reckoned with, Wind and Water – indivisible, Water and Earth – inexorable, Earth and Fire – dangerous. Impulsive and relentless, Fire consumes. Unbreakable and unforgiving, Earth endures. Guiding and devious, Wind travels. Cleansing and mysterious, Water flows._

Merlin listened as the voices repeated the clue again and again. "What does it mean?"

"It's a hint." Elle let go of his hands and frowned. "I don't understand how a lake is doing this. Water can't…whisper."

"I don't think it's the water." Merlin stepped back onto the bank. The rain had stopped and left everything glistening. The sun had vanished during the storm and the moon was all the light they had. Elle glided out of the lake and shook like a dog, sending a spray of water into the air. They were both soaked. "This lake is the entrance to Avalon."

Elle whistled and looked out over the now still lake surface. "Why are the immortals helping us?" Merlin gestured for her to follow him and they began the long walk back up to the castle. "And how could they possibly know what we're looking for?"

Merlin didn't know, but his experience with the Sidhe had not been a good one. If they were helping…whatever was happening was bigger than he thought.

"So?" Merlin looked down at the girl that was practically floating through the brush. She seemed fully recovered from her episode two days prior.

"What?"

Merlin cleared his throat. "What's with the storm?"

Elle's smile vanished and her face became carefully neutral. "Don't want to talk about it."

"You caused a major climate change—"

"It's back to normal!" Elle protested. He fixed her with a steely blue stare and Elle made a face. "I didn't make the storm. When I get angry…the rain just happens. It wants to make me feel better."

She wished he would stop looking at her.

"Elle…"

"Arthur kissed me."

Her words were greeted with silence.

"And?" Merlin's tone was clipped. It figured. It was only a matter of time before Arthur moved in on the pretty little wild woman.

"And nothing. I slapped him and left." Elle swatted at a low hanging branch. Merlin caught it in the face when it snapped back. He toppled over backward and landed hard on his back, more surprised by what Elle said than the stinging welt that was on his cheek. "Merlin, pay attention!"

Elle tried to help him up, but the grass was slick from the rain. They both went back down, a pile of limbs and mud. "Are you alright?" She was laughing. "Is this what it's like to be clumsy? Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry!" She had caught sight of the thin red mark on his cheek. It wouldn't be permanent, but it was probably uncomfortable. "Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt?" He tried to remember the last person that hit Prince Arthur. Not a knight or a criminal, but a regular person. A woman. Arthur always got the girls and the glory for himself. He had never had to ask any girl twice, and Elle had _hit_ him.

Elle's eyes were concerned and locked on his face. Merlin felt only a dull sting when she brushed a cool finger against his cheek. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's fine." Merlin tried to regain his thoughts but it was a bit difficult with her touching his cheek like that. Her brow was furrowed with concern and he was painfully conscious of how close she was. "It's more than fine."

"We should get back." Elle took her hand away and slid to her feet. Merlin followed far less gracefully, and the pair of them headed back to the castle in silence. Elle, contemplative, and Merlin aware of the opportunity he just missed.

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	14. Dreams of Change

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

14

Morgana did not understand everything she was seeing. Her eyes darted quickly under her delicate lids, watchful and aware, despite the fact she was unconscious.

The courtyard was full, people whispered behind their hands in shock and fear. Uther swept down the palace steps in command even as Arthur shouted angrily at him from behind a wall of knights that refused to let him pass. Merlin was being escorted along behind Uther by two burly guards that looked like they would rather be anywhere else. Merlin went silently, his mouth pressed into a taunt line as they led him to the scaffold erected in the middle of the yard.

Uther was forced to halt. Someone was in the way.

Elle stood between Merlin and the chopping block. Her face was dark, her eyes burning. The sky was quickly darkening. Rain began to spatter the cobble stones. Merlin was glaring at her, trying to tell her something with the panicked expression on his face. He jerked his head toward the castle. It was like he was trying to direct her indoors.

Elle lifted her hands to the sky and the rain suddenly poured down in earnest. Through the sheets of rain, everyone could see the spiral of water that twisted around Elle at impossible angles. Magic.

Uther let out a shout of rage. Merlin hung his head, defeated. Arthur stared at Elle in disbelief. Morgana cheered, and she was not alone. Half the people in the courtyard suddenly sent up a victory yell. Here was one that they trusted, one that they loved, and one brave enough to show Uther the truth. Magic was alive and well in Camelot. He could no more suppress that than he could suppress his need for oxygen. _Hold your breath if you will, old man,_ Morgana thought with satisfaction, _Eventually you will have to breathe, and so will your kingdom._

Morgana woke up with a start, expecting to hear the tapping of rain on the window. Her mind tried to wrap around the vision. It had been menacing, frightening, but it ended with triumph and a sense of change. Morgana had been cheering Elle on even as the look on Uther's face promised death.

As quietly as she could, Morgana slipped out of bed. She wanted to talk to Elle. She suddenly felt like it was imperative, a gentle urging to get up and find the younger woman. She had a theory about her dreams, but there was no one in Camelot besides Gwen she could tell. And Gwen didn't exactly have the magical knowledge to be helpful. Elle could tell her what these dreams meant, if they were really the future.

"Morgana, what are you lurking about for?"

Morgana grimaced at the sound of Arthur's voice. "Not that it's any of your business," she said loftily, "but I'm looking for Elle."

"Well, she's not in her room." Arthur scowled and fell into step beside Morgana. "I've been trying to find her, but she's cross with me."

Morgana chuckled. "But she's only just woken up! How can you have gotten her angry so fast?" She looked Arthur up and down. "Then again you do have a talent for being irritating."

Arthur felt his cheeks burn. What was it with the women in Camelot tonight that they all felt the need to make him feel like an incompetent oaf? Arthur grumbled something noncommittal. "I've run out of places to look."

"If she's not with you, with me, or in her room, there's only one place left." Morgana said this as if Arthur were an idiot for not thinking of it himself. "She's with Merlin." She had no evidence to support her assumption other than her vision. She could still see Elle standing between Merlin and his death, hands on hips, fury on her face. She could see Merlin, begging her with his eyes to shut up and get out of the way. Begging her to survive.

"Merlin?"

Morgana did not miss the hint of jealousy in his voice. More than a hint, actually. Amused she glanced at Arthur. "What exactly did you do to make her angry?"

"Never you mind," Arthur snapped. He had unconsciously been following Morgana to the physician's quarters. They were just around the corner when they heard muffled laughter. Arthur and Morgana peered around the corner and saw Merlin and Elle soaking wet, sitting against the door with a lantern between them.

"I can't believe Gaius threw us out!" Merlin mumbled with irritation. "And what kind of experiment is he doing so late?"

Elle laughed again, her hand clapped over her mouth. "Apparently one that is ruined by two swamped out kids that make too much noise."

"It was just a little water," Merlin smiled brightly. Gaius had been less than pleased with the condition Elle and Merlin had returned in. He had been annoyed by the ponds that gathered under their feet. Unfortunately, Neither could change since Elle was wearing his extra tunic and trousers. Poor Gaius had been downright angry when the pair assaulted him with Elemental questions in the middle of his experiment. He'd thrown them out and told them to work out their energy before they returned.

Kids.

"What's so funny then?" Arthur burst around the corner even though Morgana had tried to hold him back. She shook her head, but followed. The damage was done, now. Merlin smiled lazily at the approaching royals. Elle ran a hand through her damp curls and waved.

"Merlin," Elle answered.

Arthur snorted. "Yes, he's hilarious. So this is why you are always late in the mornings, is it?"

"Did you need something?" The smile never left Merlin's face, but his tone lacked even more respect than usual. The warlock stood up and left behind a puddle. "Gaius won't let us in for a while yet, so if you want something done, now's the time to ask.

Arthur took one look at Merlin, dripping onto the floor, and Elle shivering with the cold before he sighed. "Come on, then. You both need dry clothes, and since Elle is wearing yours, and her dress was ruined, it looks like my closet's the only option." He tried not to let the identical frowns on Morgana's and Elle's faces bother him.

"What about my lending Elle a dress?" Morgana asked.

"You're a head taller than she is," Arthur argued. "She'd trip and break her neck."

Elle snorted. "I never trip." She caught hold of Merlin's sleeve and hauled herself to her feet before she danced off with Morgana.

Arthur gestured for his manservant to follow him and Merlin went along dutifully. "Merlin?" Arthur asked as they walked. He had noticed the thin welt on Merlin's cheek. It was almost gone, just the barest shadow of discolored red against his pale skin. "What happened to your face?"

Merlin smirked. "What happened to yours?"

Of course, Elle's hand didn't leave so much as a mark on Arthur's cheek, but the prince didn't know that and the warlock wasn't going to tell him.

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	15. Theories

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

15

The next few days were hard on Elle. Morgana stuck to her side and chattered endlessly, hinting that she knew what Elle was but never coming out and saying it. Gwen did everything in her power to keep Elle dressed properly and Elle told them stories from home. Both girls clapped delightedly, thinking Elle had a wonderful imagination.

Arthur was in a foul mood. He still watched Elle, but it was with a slow burn. He was frustrated by her cool looks and snarky remarks. She hadn't said anything about the night he kissed her, presumably she had decided to ignore it, but her attitude was not altogether encouraging. Unfortunately, he took his frustrations out on Merlin.

The warlock returned to Gaius' chambers grimacing. Arthur had made him spar and while he wasn't as useless with a sword as he used to be, he still was no match for Arthur. Especially an Arthur with a chip on his shoulder. His arms were dead at his side, his back aching, and his hair matted with sweat. All in all Merlin was looking forward to crashing into bed and not moving again…ever.

"Should I leave?"

Merlin groaned and looked up from where he had buried his face in his pillow. Elle was sitting on the floor by his cupboard, her eyes a bit popped. She hadn't expected him to barge in and slam into the bed that way. She had his spell book resting on her knees. Clearly she had been waiting for him.

"As long as you don't need me to function at a basic human level you're welcome to stay. Arthur's been running me ragged."

Elle grinned. "Then you can just listen while I hypothesize."

"You've been spending too much time with Gaius," Merlin accused.

She chose to ignore that and thunked down next to him. "Budge," she ordered. Painfully, Merlin did as she asked and a piece of parchment with Elle's strange handwriting was presented in front of his nose. "I've been working on the clues that the Sidhe gave us, and to be honest I need a second opinion."

"You could have asked Gaius," Merlin mumbled. He kicked off his boots and tried to pull off his gloves but his arms protested and he opted to leave them on.

"I wanted to ask you."

Was it his imagination or did Elle actually look hurt? "Alright, lay it on me." She started to recite the clues, even though by now they both had them memorized.

"Alright. So first, Water is ageless. Wind is timeless. Earth is eternal." She waited for Merlin to acknowledge that and when he nodded she grinned. "I think it doesn't mean the elements themselves but the people who represent them. I got the definite sense of proper nouns from all those whispers."

"So you're ageless, I'm timeless, and Earth is eternal. What does that get us?" Merlin knew he was being grumpy, but he was incredibly uncomfortable. He wanted to get out of the chain mail Arthur insisted on him wearing. Even the gauntlets on his arms were beginning to bother him. If only he could move.

As if Elle could read his mind, she sighed and started to work on the buckles that held the gauntlets in place. "You're not listening. Ageless? Timeless? Eternal? Don't those strike you as other words for _immortal_?" He wasn't listening at all. He was focused on her chilly fingers as they relieved him of the gauntlets and went to work on his gloves. "Merlin?"

"You think we're immortal?" he struggled to respond.

"I think we will be. That was the other part. Time will not touch them when the Elements align." She paraphrased.

Merlin tried to ignore the gentle hands. "Are you suggesting that we are going to live forever?"

"I'm just trying to translate crazy Sidhe into normal English," she said sounding cross. She hit him with his gloves before she tossed them on the floor.

Merlin chuckled. "Next theory."

Her hands moved up to the voider and his laugh died in his throat. One of Elle's eyebrows tweaked upward, but she didn't comment on the blush that crept to his ears. "They repeated time and again, 'what was once can be again'. In my time Arthur is called the Once and Future King. I think so long as all of the Elements 'align' Arthur's second reign will happen. I have to tell you, in the fifteen hundred years between my time and yours, Arthur didn't come back. Not even close."

"Maybe we were waiting for you," Merlin said with mock seriousness. "So you've worked that part out. What about the clues to the other Elements."

Elle snorted and pointed accusingly at him. "Why do I have to do all the heavy thinking?"

"Because Arthur is determined to beat the crap out of me. You should just let him snog you so I can have a break."

"After you." Elle didn't miss a beat.

Merlin groaned as the voider came away from his arm. He felt mangled. "I did have a bit of an idea."

"Couldn't you manage a whole one?"

He smiled up at her. "When we were at the lake, the Sidhe listed traits. Impulsive, relentless. Unbreakable, unforgiving. Guiding and devious. Cleansing and mysterious. The best and worst of each element."

"Merlin, that's clever!" Elle's fingers brushed his neck as she worked to free him of the battered neck plate and he shivered.

"I'm good for more than mucking out stables," Merlin said. She was teasing him. Elle more than anyone knew Merlin was not as hopeless as he sometimes acted. He was a klutz but there was brilliance behind those blue eyes.

"So, who is unbreakable and unforgiving?"

"Uther?"

Elle laughed and slid the neck plate away from him. "You think Uther is one of the four Elements? I can't wait to have that conversation with him. Sit up." It took Merlin a moment to realize that she was asking him to move. "Do you want to sit in mail all night?" she asked with a pointed gesture to his hauberk.

He took care of the chain mail himself while Elle talked.

"Whoever they are, they're from magic. I am looking forward to finding Earth. He and I will be unstoppable. And the same for you and Fire. I guess each element is compatible with another."

"Wind and Water, indivisible," Merlin quoted with a wink. He was finally out of all the armor and he let it fall to the ground in a heavy curtain. "I guess you're stuck with me."

Elle fell back against the pillow in mock horror at the thought and distracted herself with the clues while Merlin changed his tunic. Against her will her eyes drifted over. "There are worse places to be stuck," she said as he pulled a fresh tunic over his head.

Merlin collapsed back on the bed and waved his arms in a brilliant imitation of Arthur. "Continue."

"I believe we were on unbreakable and unforgiving," Elle said dryly. "Can you make some room? You're taking up the whole bed."

"It's my bed," Merlin protested but he couldn't have cared less. She was pressed up against his side.

Elle was frowning. Merlin had suggested Uther. That, of course, was ridiculous but there was another person in the Pendragon house that fit the requirements. "Merlin?"

"Hm?"

She sat up slowly, her dark curls spilling over her shoulder. Merlin gulped at the look on her face, questioning and completely unsure.

"I think I need to go talk to Morgana."

Whatever he thought she was going to say…that wasn't it.

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	16. Earth

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

16

Morgana opened her door before Merlin even knocked. She smiled brightly at the pair, even though her eyes were bleary with sleep. "I knew you were coming." Her dreams had been at her again and she was exhausted. Sleep offered her little rest, now. She had woken up half panicked, ready to jump out of her skin. More than the searing grip of the nightmare, there was a sense of urgency that followed her into consciousness. It was a pull at her chest. A call. She immediately opened the door to let in the two people she was most annoyed with at the moment. She was also desperately happy to see them.

"Were you waiting for _me_ to tell _you_?" she demanded airily. "You've had each other to lean on while I've been scaring poor Gwen to death. It would have been nice to be let into your little magic club before now." Morgana draped herself gracefully over a chair. She would never moved as smoothly as Elle, but she was a lady and Uther had seen to it she was polished into a brilliant elegance.

Elle grinned genuinely. "What was I supposed to say to you? Nice to meet you, I'm magic, how 'bout you?"

"Well, you've only just gotten here," Morgana allowed, "but you've been here forever, Merlin. You were with Gaius when I told him about my dreams. You've known all along!" Her tone was accusatory.

Merlin looked from one face to the other. Morgana was smiling, but her eyes were narrowed. She looked like she was about to bite him. Elle was balanced on the window ledge, laughing quietly to herself while Merlin twisted in the wind. "You're the king's bloody ward!" he protested

"I'm your friend first!" Morgana huffed.

He grumbled something about being committed and sat against the wall. His back was on fire. He hadn't realized that Elle had come off her perch until he felt cool hands against his neck. Slowly, the ache in his muscles faded away.

"Thank you," he said, surprised. She nodded and slid down the wall to sit next to him. She looked tired all of a sudden.

Morgana nodded to them both. "I suppose we have a bit to talk about."

They spent the better part of the night recapping all of Merlin's heroics since he arrived in Camelot and how difficult it had been for him to protect Arthur while simultaneously keeping his secret. Elle explained her role. She was nothing more than the victim of a rude dragon, and a poor lost time traveler. Like Merlin, she was there to protect Arthur, but she and Merlin were only two of four.

"We believe that you are the third," Elle said simply.

"We do?" Elle fixed Merlin was such an exasperated look he quickly began to nod. "We do."

"Fire?" Morgana asked hopefully. Elle snickered and glanced at Merlin who had hoped for the same thing. "No, that feels wrong. Fire doesn't think, it just does." Morgana was frowning, looking at the arm of her chair. She dug her nails into the lacquered wood and sighed. "Earth."

"How could you possibly know that?" Elle demanded.

Morgana smiled sheepishly. "Because I've seen the end, Elle. I've seen the little boat that carries me away and I've seen Arthur all but dead in the hull. I've seen Merlin waiting at the opposite shore while Camelot burns behind us. I'm the one that takes Arthur into the ground before Merlin seals us away for safe keeping." Elle's jaw was on the ground, Merlin's eyes creased with worry. Morgana shrugged, embarrassed. "Earth."

"I wouldn't want your power for anything in the world," Elle said at last. "Morgana, you can't keep the things you see to yourself or it will drive you mad."

Elle's mind worked furiously. She knew exactly what Morgana was describing. It was the legend of Arthur's last day. Cut down by Mordred in battle, Morgana was the one that took his body to the Isle of the Blessed. That was the last anyone had ever seen of the Once and Future King or his bitter enemy.

They spent what was left of the night discussing Fire and where he or she could be hiding. Elle suggested going door to door while Merlin and Morgana laughed at her impatience.

"We should ask the Sidhe," Elle said finally. "We can go back to the lake and see what they have to say."

Morgana choked on the grape she had been eating. "You want to go back to that lake?" she demanded. "You can't. Ever. I forbid it." Her mind went to her vision of a wave rising behind Elle and crashing down atop her. She could still clearly see the empty spot on the bank where the girl had been, smiling up at Arthur from a curtsey.

Elle was laughing and trying to drag Merlin to his feet. As twiggy as the manservant was, he was dead weight and she couldn't budge him. "Morgana, it's perfectly fine. Besides, it gave us clues to find you. Terrible, vague clues, but still."

Merlin, his muscles refreshed from Elle's intervention, stood up on his own. "And at least this time the weather is nice. _I_ had to go in a downpour because someone had her knickers in a twist."

"You leave my knickers alone," Elle said with a laugh.

After another hour of chatter Morgana yawned politely and Merlin and Elle said good night. "Tomorrow. Lake. Noon." Elle said resolutely. "We still have an Element to find."

"Yes, yes." Morgana waved Elle's order away. "I'm sure."

"She took everything rather well," Merlin said as they walked back toward Elle's room. As tired as they were, neither one of them moved very quickly.

Elle nodded. "Her vision, the one of you sealing her and Arthur in the ground, that's part of the legend I know."

"We won't let it happen," Merlin said. He meant it.

They had reached Elle's door. "I'm sorry I dragged you around tonight," Elle said quietly. "And I'm sorry Arthur's being a jackass."

"It's fine. Not Arthur being a jackass, but you didn't drag me. I wanted to come."

Elle felt like Merlin was trying to stare through the top of her head. She couldn't hold his gaze. It was just too intense. Startling. "Goodnight." She tugged on his jacket playfully before she stepped into her room. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He smiled and nodded and Elle closed the door. She let out her breath in a rush and tried to calm down. She couldn't explain what about Merlin made her feel like she had just jumped off a waterfall. Somewhere in the distance thunder crashed, sharing her joy at being happy, and young, and in…

Elle's brain skittered to a halt. Where was she going with that?

She was still leaning against the door when someone rapped against it lightly. Merlin hadn't moved. He was still in the hall, his face drawn in a puzzled frown.

"Did you forget where you live?" Elle asked. "Merlin?"

"Repeat that, please," he said. "What you said before you closed the door…repeat that."

Elle smiled her bemusement. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."

Merlin took a deep breath as though steeling himself. "I can't wait that long."

Later, neither could remember who had moved first. Elle insisted that Merlin had twisted his fingers into her hair and pulled her face up to meet him. Merlin was sure that Elle had used his scarf to drag him down. Either way, their lips met with barely controlled eagerness. Elle did admit to dragging him out of the hall, but Merlin was the one who closed the door.

Far away Elle heard the thunder peal again, delighting in her joy. She didn't have long to think about it, though. She was suddenly very, blissfully, distracted.

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	17. Ruined Plans

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

17

Morgana fell asleep almost the moment Elle and Merlin left. She was terribly tired, and if they were going to be walking out to the lake…that was as far as her exhausted mind got. She was asleep and the vision was there waiting.

Merlin. He stood in his night clothes, his hair a mess, a torch in his hand. He was someplace dark and his voice echoed off the stone walls. Morgana thought it might have been a cave, but she was not certain.

One thing _was_ certain. Merlin looked incredibly nervous. Almost guilty.

"I'll bring it to you. You can destroy it," he said plaintively.

She could not see who he was speaking to. Morgana could only hear a powerful voice, dripping with irritation and disappointment. "What is made cannot be unmade."

Merlin was at a loss. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Take the sword far from here and place it where no mortal man can ever find it." There was the heavy sound of air being violently displaced, and Merlin's expression resolved itself. He immediately turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing as he went.

The vision changed.

Morgana saw Arthur, leaning against the hearth in his room, staring at the flames. That was how he did all of his important thinking, she knew. He would spend hours staring at the fire.

Something rippled in her consciousness. Something important…she couldn't grasp it.

The vision shifted again.

It was Uther, but not as she knew him. He was young, strong, proud. A woman with Arthur's golden hair was at his side, her lips turned down in a frown. Queen Igraine. She looked down the dais at the young woman leering up at her. Blue eyes, dark hair, cruel smile. This was a sorceress, most foul. Uther greeted her warmly. Instead of extending a greeting to Igraine, the sorceress rested her hand on the queen's abdomen and smiled. Uther smiled right along with her.

Shift.

Elle. She is dressed strangely, in blue trousers and an odd tunic. She is laughing nervously as she rests her hands on a cushioned table. She flinched. A man pushes a strange machine against the delicate web of skin between her thumb and index fingers first one hand, than the other. He has marked her, tattooed her. Elle grined down at the words the stranger has permanently stained into her skin. "Take me up," she whispers. "Cast me away."

Morgana jerked awake to see sunlight filtering in through her window. Someone knocked at the door again and Gwen smiled at Morgana as she stirred beneath her covers. Gwen got the door and spoke quickly and quietly to the servant on the other side.

"My lady?" Gwen sat at Morgana's side. Morgana was trying to organize her thoughts.

"Yes, Gwen?"

"Uther wants you."

Count on Uther to ruin everyone's plans.

Another sorcerer had been caught during the night. His execution was to be later that afternoon followed by a gala to celebrate magic's weakened state. Arthur frowned but nodded while Uther announced his plans over breakfast. Morgana simply stared at the fruit on her plate. She looked a bit green.

"Morgana, don't you dare feel sympathetic," Uther warned. "Magic is evil."

"Why?" Morgana wasn't her usual insolent self. Her question lacked the judgmental, mutinous tone that almost always laced her voice. It was simply a question, nothing to get worked up over. It was also very unlike Morgana.

Uther froze with his toast half way to his mouth. Arthur wanted to laugh at his father's expression, but he knew better. This would be a dangerous conversation, even if Morgana was being respectful.

"Magic kills. It corrupts. It would see this kingdom destroyed." Uther had said these things hundreds of times before. "Sorcerers use magic against me."

Morgana tapped her chin thoughtfully. "My lord, if you present it that way, you should certainly have all the knights surrender their swords. They could just as easily turn them against you."

Arthur snorted into his juice and found himself at the receiving end of Uther's annoyed glare. "Morgana, knights are sworn to protect this kingdom."

"So if the sorcerers swore their fealty to you, you would let them live?" Again, it wasn't said with any heat, only slow, deliberate curiosity.

"Morgana, what new game is this?" Uther abandoned his toast and turned to his ward. He pinched the bridge of his nose. It was bad enough that there had been another wretched sorcerer within the city. Now he had to deal with Morgana on top of it.

Morgana bit into an apple and chewed it thoughtfully. "What if it was me? Or Arthur? What if we had magic?" She swallowed hard as Uther's cold blue eyes burned into her. Arthur just sat there, his jaw hanging. Clearly Morgana had lost her mind.

"Your question is irrelevant."

"But—"

Uther's fist slammed onto the table. "You are determined to rile me, aren't you? Magic is evil, Morgana, and it is banned from this kingdom. There are no exceptions." It was said with such finality Morgana did not even try to debate it. She simply went back to staring at her plate. "Morgana?"

She looked up, and the defiance had returned to her eyes.

"You are excused before you vex me further." Uther waved his hand in a clear dismissal. Morgana stood up and with her nose in the air, she walked toward the door. "And Morgana?" She froze with her hand on the door. "Tell Elizabeth that she is to attend the gala, as well. Seeing as how you two have become so close, I don't want her picking up any of your bad habits. She will learn to be a proper lady of Camelot."

"Yes, Sire."

Morgana let the door slam behind her. Uther's insinuation that she did not take pride in the kingdom was one used to often to have any effect on her anymore. She did wish that Uther had left Elle out of this, though. The only thing she was looking forward to less than the gala was telling Elle that she was required to go. Morgana shook her head as she climbed the steps. Merlin would be there if Arthur had to attend. How many other enchanters would celebrate the death of one of their own? Morgana remembered her vision where Elle stood in the courtyard, rain spinning around her in a whirlwind of magic. So many people cheering, hope in their eyes.

They were not as alone as they thought.

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	18. Fire

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

18

Arthur couldn't help but think that Elle looked ill. Throughout Uther's entire speech about the evils of magic she had stood next to Morgana shaking violently. Morgana held her hand and Arthur could hear the low murmur of soothing words. Even Merlin stepped away from his place behind Arthur to briefly whisper in Elle's ear. Arthur tuned his father out, trying to listen to what they were saying to her.

"Please." Elle sounded devastated but Merlin just hung his head.

That was when Uther gave the signal for the ax to drop. A scream tore from Elle's throat and she raced off the balcony much to everyone's surprise, including Uther's. Merlin scratched his head, embarrassed.

It was starting to rain again.

"Sorry, my lord. I suppose beheadings aren't her thing."

"Clearly not," Uther didn't seem too perturbed by it. "See that she is recovered by the gala. I'll not have her making a scene."

Morgana cleared her throat. "My lord, perhaps it would be better to let Elle skip this particular celebration?"

"I will not repeat myself, Morgana. Arthur?" Uther motioned for his son.

"Yes, father?"

"Make sure that Elizabeth is at the gala. Do what you must. Come, Morgana. Let's keep you out of trouble, shall we?" Morgana had no choice but to follow after Uther. She cast Merlin and Arthur a look of exasperation over her shoulder before she disappeared down the hall.

Arthur made his way up to Elle's room with Merlin following behind like one condemned. "Maybe you should let me go in first," Merlin suggested.

"Why?"

"She doesn't like you much," Merlin said simply. He ducked into Elle's room. Arthur barely had time to process what Merlin had said before the door swung open and Merlin stumbled out of the room again.

"Don't even look at me, coward!"

The door slammed shut.

Merlin just stared at the door with a stunned expression. "It seems she doesn't like you much, either," Arthur said with a smirk. He knocked once, and then let himself into the room. Merlin watched the door shut and tried not to feel bad for the prince. The mood Elle was in, Arthur was going to need a bigger sword.

"How could you?"

Elle barely looked over her shoulder at Arthur. She was sitting on the window ledge, her dark eyes glued to the outline of the scaffold, barely discernable through the rain. She was down to her shift, her feet bare, her hair pulled out of the veil Gwen had fixed it up in. Elle had ripped her dress off, mindless of button and laces. It looked like a wild animal had a go at it. Arthur picked the torn off the ground and peered through one of the larger gashes.

"The way you go through dresses, it's no wonder you were wearing pants when I met you."

She fixed her cheerless gaze on him. Her eyes were red and swollen and Arthur immediately wished that he had agreed with Morgana. He didn't want to force Elle to the feast. He wanted to make her feel better, not worse.

"I'm not in the mood for your sense of humor, Arthur." She turned back to the window. "Why don't you go swing your sword at something else that won't fight back?"

Arthur bristled. "And what's that mean?"

Elle took so long in answering Arthur thought that she was just going to ignore him. "How could you? All my life I've heard stories of King Arthur. His unbeatable knights, the adventures, the quests, the magic…might for right and all that. You're supposed to be a hero."

Her voice was so small. This was not the girl that had spent the last ten days driving him mad with her barbed words and dancing eyes. This girl was broken.

"I'm not king, Elle."

She looked up at him and the anger was back in her eyes. "You're nothing," she spat. She unfolded from the window ledge and stalked across the floor. "Everything about your legend is a lie. You spoiled, arrogant, fuck up of a prince. How could you? How could you just let Uther kill that man?"

Oh, good. Elle was back.

"That man was a sorcerer," Arthur said hotly. He didn't understand every word that Elle had thrown at him but her tone got the message through. "Magic is banned in Camelot and breaking that ban is punishable by death."

They were toe to toe, furious blue eyes facing down livid brown. "That man was as magical as a wrinkled shirt, Arthur. Do you think an actual sorcerer would just let you chop his head off? You killed an innocent man. And even if he was mage, how could you just murder someone in cold blood? You're supposed to be better than this! You're supposed to champion the weak, not condemn them!"

She had hold of the front of his tunic like she was going to shake him, but there was no way she could move him.

"I am champion of Camelot," Arthur snarled.

"You're a coward!" Elle could not have been any further into Arthur's personal space if she tried, but the prince did not back up. He faced her in all of her fury. "You are as bad as Merlin. You both just go along with what Uther says because you're afraid!"

"Magic is evil!"

Elle laughed coldly at that. "Evil? Ignorance is evil, Arthur. Doing nothing while good people are killed…that is evil. Magic is nothing. Magic is as good or as bad as the person that wields it."

"What do you know about it?"

"I know!" Arthur peeled Elle's hands from the front of his tunic. His hands closed like iron shackles around her wrists. God, she was tiny. Even through his rage he was conscious that he would crush her wrists if he held on too tightly. "If you don't want magic in Camelot, then send it _out _of Camelot. You have no right to end lives just because magic is involved. Do you think every mage has _chosen _magic? Mages can help their magic no more than you can help having blue eyes."

"How do you know all this?" His eyes burned into her and Elle realized she was talking to Arthur in the same unguarded way she spoke to Merlin. Arthur knew nothing of magic, and he couldn't. Not this version of Arthur. This version, so far from the legend, was against everything that made Elle who she was. Against the very thing that saved his life week after week.

He was against her.

"How do you know all of this?" Arthur repeated.

Suddenly Elle understood how Morgana and Merlin just stood by while one accused sorcerer after another was killed to sate Uther's vengeance. It was the look on Arthur's face. That searching look like he was trying to drag out the very worst of her with his eyes. The look that said he had to be ready for whatever bomb Elle dropped on him.

Thank goodness she was able to think on her feet.

"My father and my little brother are both mage," she hissed. It was the truth. "My father has never done an evil thing a day in his life, and Cooper is only twelve. He is innocent."

Arthur looked like he wanted to be sick. "You're family? Sorcery?" He couldn't string a full sentence together. Elle felt her anger uncoil and she fought against his hold on her wrists.

"My mother has loved my father since they were in grade school. My oldest brother is a doctor, the next one, a teacher. Cooper is mage, but my nine year old brother is as normal and obnoxious as you are. My family is as kind and as good as any and you judge them based on what? Your limited experiences with magic? You are a fool, Arthur Pendragon."

"Enough!"

Arthur swung Elle against the wall and held her there, her wrists pinned above her head. "All you do is talk. You don't give a person a chance to think or digest any information. You're like a terrier yapping away at my ankles."

She kicked him.

Angrily, he flattened her against the wall with his weight. Elle hissed and struggled, but she was practically flush with the stone. "Diet, you fucking hippo."

"Shhh."

"I swear I'll kill you!"

"That's not incentive to let you loose, Elle."

"I hate you!"

Arthur shifted and Elle felt like she was being ground into the wall. "You certainly do not."

"Yes! I hate you!"

"Grow up, Elizabeth."

The son of a bitch was laughing at her.

"Don't. Laugh. At. Me." That only made Arthur laugh harder. Elle glared up at him, her blood boiling, but his eyes had lost their chill. Now, they fairly smoldered.

"You are very strange, Elizabeth Knight." He was studying her face as though something there would shed light on her behavior. "I'll have you know that my opinions aren't always the exact same as my father's. But until I am king, there is only so much I can do to defy him. Magic is his hot button issue, Elle, and there is no persuading him that it could be used for good."

"Do you believe that?" she asked quietly. She could still hear the dull thud of the ax cutting through flesh, muscle, and bone. "Do you truly believe that magic can be good."

Arthur sighed. "I suppose I do." He gently released her hands but continued to crush her into the wall. "Four brothers, huh? And one of them a sorcerer?" he asked. "I guess I should be glad they aren't here."

Elle agreed. Cooper was as subtle as a neon sign. He'd have his head rolling on the cobblestones in an hour. The thought made her shudder. "Don't you think you'd like them?" Her tease was weak but she couldn't help it. What was meant to be a day at the lake with Merlin and Morgana had turned into a disaster. Making fun of Arthur was all she could do to feel better.

"I don't think they'd like me much at all," Arthur said with a small chuckle.

"Why?"

Then he showed her why. Arthur tilted her chin up and kissed her. It wasn't like their first kiss. It wasn't harsh or greedy. And it wasn't like the multitude of relieved, enthusiastic kisses she had shared with Merlin. This was heat. This was passion.

Shit.

This was Fire.

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	19. Claim Staked

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

19

_What once was, will be again._ Elle's head felt foggy. She was sure she should be concerned about that, but she wasn't. Arthur was holding her and it felt so nice.

_Fire may burn out, but it can always be rekindled._ Fire. The Once and Future King. Rekindled. Rebirth. Reincarnation? Words flooded through her head too quickly for her to keep up with them. Reckless, heedless, passionate, consuming.

Holy shit.

The truth made Elle jerk away from Arthur. Her head collided with the wall behind her and spots exploded in her vision. She also lost the warm and fuzzy feeling that was clogging her mind.

"Bloody hell, what did you do that for? Arthur demanded.

"This isn't happening. This isn't—"

"This isn't what?" Arthur ran a finger gently down her cheek. "Elle?"

How _blind_ was she? Of course Arthur was one of the four Elements. Who better to assure his destiny than himself? God, she was stupid. The Sidhe had practically spelled it out for her and she had missed it, the cryptic bastards. Water, Earth, Fire, and...Wind.

"Merlin."

What the hell was she doing with Arthur? He was smirking down at her, his eyes practically blazing.

"Don't worry about Merlin. He won't come in," Arthur said easily. He kissed her again and for a dizzying moment, Elle thought that she was completely in love with him.

This explained why girls were always throwing themselves at the prince.

"No!"

Arthur sighed and shifted so that Elle could move again. She flew away from the wall like she was spring loaded and groped about in her cupboard a moment before she pulled out the jeans and t-shirt she had arrived in. She seemed oblivious to Arthur as she changed, though the prince did have the decency to turn around.

"Er, is there a reason you are having a fit?" Arthur asked.

"I've got to go to the lake. I need to talk…Merlin!"

Out in the hall Merlin waited against the wall. His dark brows were drawn and he was fairly disgusted with himself. Not that he'd known her long, but he had never seen Elle like that. She had stood on the balcony and begged, _begged_, for him or Morgana to do something. Do anything. "Please," she had said, and he had done nothing. He had let another sorcerer die.

He heard raised voices and growls of anger from inside Elle's room. He wondered if he should go in there and break up whatever argument was going on before it came to blows when silence fell behind the wooden doors.

"My God, he's killed her," Merlin muttered, "or she's killed him."

"Merlin!"

He heard Elle call his name. Merlin stuck his head in the door and gulped. Elle was on a tear. She looked almost frantic as she hopped about with one boot on while Arthur sat on the table, amused.

"Elle? What are you doing?"

"We've got all four," Elle said, looking slightly stunned.

"All four?"

Elle stopped what she was doing and fixed Merlin with a meaningful look. "All. Four."

"Oh." Merlin's eyes widened. "Oh!"

_Who?_

Elle could hear him in her head again. She wondered briefly why she of all people heard voices constantly as she jerked her head at Arthur.

_You've got to be kidding me._

"I swear it, Merlin."

"Does someone want to fill me in?" Arthur asked.

Merlin and Elle answered together. "No."

Elle finally found her other boot. "We have to get to the lake," she said.

"Um…we have to get to the feast. You can't just go running off to the woods," Arthur said.

Elle fixed Arthur with a petulant glare.

"He's right, Elle. Uther will have you flogged for disobeying a direct order. He expects you at the feast. Right now."

"Don't you think this is a bit more important?" Elle demanded.

_Morgana is at the gala, as well. We will find a way to talk._

Elle nodded. "Fine," she snapped. "Then let's go."

Arthur laughed out loud. "You can't go dressed like that."

Elle counted to ten. Slowly. She even tried to throw a few extra numbers in, hoping to calm her temper. Elle looked down at her ratty shirt and jeans.

"Uther wants me at his little prom, he has to deal with Bon Jovi." She pointed to her shirt and stormed out of the room.

Arthur and Merlin looked at each other before they followed her out.

Uther was not going to be pleased.

"Wait." Elle froze in the middle of the corridor and turned on Merlin and Arthur. "I need to do something first." Elle stood up on her toes and caught the lapels of Merlin's coat.

Arthur watched, jaw agape, as Elle pressed herself to Merlin and kissed him. Merlin made a surprised sound, but his arms went around her and his eyes fluttered shut.

"I see," Arthur said dryly. He waved his hand dismissively as he headed down the hall. "You should have just said so."

Elle broke the kiss rested her cheek against Merlin's chest. She could hear his heartbeat thumping wildly and she smiled. "Yeah, I should have."

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	20. Overheard

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

20

Morgana had a cheerless smile plastered on her face while she chatted with some leering lord or another. She couldn't keep their names straight anymore. She sipped politely at her goblet of juice and pretended to laugh at the man's insipid joke.

"Oh, dear." Morgana's eyes widened as Arthur slunk into the gala, a smirk on his face. Behind him was Merlin, grinning ear to ear. He glanced back over his shoulder as Elle came into the hall and all chatter came to a stand still. Merlin had convinced Elle to wear an actual dress to appease King Uther and if he had to say so, she looked spectacular.

The dress used to be Morgana's but Gwen had hemmed it for Elle's use. It was slid around her in gentle folds of gauzy, dark fabric. There had been no time to do anything with her hair so it fell down in graceful, smoky waves. Merlin beamed with pride as Elle stood at Morgana's side, blushing at all the attention.

"Just look at you," Gwen came over and poured Elle a cup of juice. "you look gorgeous."

"Oh, shut up, Gwen." Elle turned red and disappeared into her goblet while Gwen laughed. "Morgana, when you have a second—"

"What are you wearing?"

To Elle's surprise, Morgana looked horrified. "Gwen hemmed this for me when my green dress was ruined. Morgana what's wrong?"

Morgana recognized the dress. Not from her closet, where it had hung untouched for ages, but from a vision. The vision where Merlin had been led to the gallows, where Elle had stood before Uther and the people of Camelot and revealed her powers. Granted the dress had been a bit torn and muddy, but there was no mistake.

"We are running out of time." Morgana's words squeaked out in a petrified whisper. "I've seen it, Elle. We're going to fail, we won't find the last Element, you'll have to leave. I can't bare these visions any more. Elle, they are driving me mad."

People were beginning to stare, including Uthur. The king frowned in her direction and sent her a look that demanded she deal with the situation and do so quietly, _please_.

"Morgana, it's alright. We've found the last Element," Elle whispered quickly in hopes of relieving her friend's stress. "It's Arthur, of all people. It makes sense that he is going to have to be at least partly responsible for keeping himself in one piece."

"Arthur?" Morgana said, confused. "You told him what we are?"

"Of course not." Morgana still looked a bit mad, her blue eyes bulging out of her head while she gripped Elle's arm painfully tight. "He doesn't even know what _he _is."

The pair of them watched Arthur while he play laughed and drank. How one person could consume so much alcohol and not fall on his face was beyond Elle. It was a testament to his excellent balance.

"What _he_ is…do you mean to tell me that the son of Uther Pendragon is a _sorcerer_?"

Elle considered it. The legends never implied that King Arthur had any power to speak of. Magical things just seemed to happen around him. Maybe that fuzziness in her head had just been her own girly brain being swept up by a mythical king. But his eyes had been so bright…

"I doubt it. But he is certainly draws magic to him. How else do you explain all of us putting up with this ridiculous ban just so we can protect him?"

Morgana still felt terribly on edge. The vision could have been from any time Elle had the dress on. She looked so lovely in it, she was sure to wear it often…still.

"What do we have here?"

There conversation was interrupted by a slightly slurring knight. Elle had seen him with Arthur, but she couldn't remember his name. He was not completely unfortunate looking with his dark hair and gray eyes. "Um…hi." She made a face when he kissed her hand. She was getting annoyed by these medieval men thinking they could sweep her off her feet. She sent a threatening look toward Arthur, certain that he had put the man up to this but he wasn't even paying attention. He was busy laughing with the other knights, oblivious to Elle and Morgana.

"I'm Sir Dain."

"Congratulations," Elle said distractedly. She wanted to talk to Morgana. Now that the all the Elements were accounted for, they had to figure out what to do next.

"I'm curious, milady, where are you from?" Sir Dain was too drunk to realize he was being rejected. He draped himself over the table and made eyes at Elle.

Elle looked at Dain with ill disguised annoyance. "Far away."

Sir Dain leered at Morgana. "Such jewels should be on the arm of a knight," he purred. "Dance with me?"

"I'm afraid I'm just too tired to dance, Sir Dain," Morgana said diplomatically.

Dain laughed. "I meant your young friend." He offered Elle his hand and she just stared at it.

"No, thank you."

Sir Dain chuckled and leaned closer to her. His gray eyes were cold and the drunken smile vanished from his face. "I suggest you stand up and dance with me this second before I tell Uther what I just overheard," he said, his voice cold. "Sorceress."

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	21. Last Moments

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

21

Dain thought that he had been very clever. He had been drinking freely since the feast began and he had witnessed Arthur's charge ease into the banquet hall behind the prince. She looked like a faerie princess with her dark curls and pale skin. Her dress alternately flowing and clinging in all the right places. It figured that she went straight to Morgana and the lady's pretty little handmaid.

He had been eavesdropping on purpose. He wanted to find an opening so that he could wow the woman with his tales of heroic adventure. Instead he had heard her and the Lady Morgana admit to being sorceress and allude to Arthur, _Prince Arthur_, having magic as well. Of course he didn't believe it for a second, but even mentioning magic that way would make Uther furious. He tried to schmooze her first, but when he got no response, he threatened her with Uther.

He hadn't expected her to laugh.

Elle stood up slowly and smiled in Dain's face. "Let me get this straight," Elle said softly. She leaned over the table, her words like velvet. "You think I'm a sorceress and your brilliant idea is to threaten me? You are even dumber than you look."

Dain's mouth went dry at the look on her face and his hand tightened on his sword hilt. Arthur had trained them well to fight what they feared, but Elle's eyebrows only rose as she looked at his sword.

Elle smiled. "Run along and play before you get hurt." Elle said dismissively. Dain looked both girls over with bitter, intoxicated loathing but turned on his heel and disappeared among the other red cloaked figures.

"Are you mad?" Morgana hissed. "He could have had us killed."

"I guarantee you that if we die, he dies, too." Elle said angrily. "I hate bullies."

She and Morgana managed to slip off into a corner and Sir Dain did not approach them again. Elle saw Merlin wink at her as he played the perfect manservant, repeatedly filling Arthur's goblet every time it was required.

"So Arthur is fire?" Morgana said with a slight smile. "I guess that makes sense. He's going to need that sort of single minded hunger to be a king." Elle nodded. "Well, what do we do, now?"

Elle had been wondering the same thing. "We get to the lake as soon as possible. The Sidhe might have another clue for us. They said before that the Elements had to align. I only wish I knew what that meant."

"Why are you two being boring?" Arthur demanded. He appeared at their shoulders, grinning with drunken delight. "Come out the corner. My friends want to oogle you both and you're making it difficult." He turned to his knights while the girls erupted into laughter. "I wouldn't touch the little one, though. She's contrary." He thought about it for a second before he added, "and taken." He playfully clapped Merlin's shoulder before he relieved his servant of the wine decanter. "Go dance with her, _Mer_lin, before I change my mind."

The rest of the gala was a fairly uneventful affair. Elle had no clue what any of the ridiculous dances were, so she and Merlin contented themselves with talking quietly while Morgana went back to smiling blankly at whatever lord or knight was feeling brave enough to speak to her. She whispered to Gwen often and the two smiled as they watched Elle and Merlin flirt. Morgana had thought Gwen would take the news with a grain of salt, but Gwen only seemed happy that her friends were happy. Gwen was just too kind a soul to think any differently.

Uther watched it all with a shrewd eye. It seemed that Elizabeth had found something about Camelot that she fancied, even if it was just his son's manservant. Arthur and Morgana seemed rather attached to the girl. He had never truly planned on allowing Elizabeth residence indefinitely. His nature knew that there were too many unexplained things still surrounding her. Where she was from, the strange clothes she was wearing when he found her, her harsh accent, her oblivious responses to simple things even children would know…

Still the king found himself smiling in her presence, almost against his will. She simply made the people around her happy. Uther raised an eyebrow. At least, Arthur's servant seemed pretty happy. He sighed. He'd have to keep an eye on them or there would be an influx of clumsy, half-wild babies in Camelot.

It was very late, or very early in the morning depending on who you asked, when Uther finally declared the celebration over. Gwen hurried off to turn down Morgana's bed. Merlin was doing his best to keep Arthur upright as the prince roared with laughter and stomped through the hall. Elle and Morgana walked behind them giggling every time Arthur escaped or tripped Merlin.

"There he goes again!" Morgana said, laughing so hard she had to hold onto the wall for support. Arthur stuck his tongue out at Merlin and ran up a flight of stairs to get away from his man-handling-servant.

Merlin shook his head good naturedly. "Help me find him, would you?"

They all split up to find Arthur, not realizing it was the last moment they would all be together for a long, _long_ time.

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	22. Bad Place for a Window

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

22

Morgana went back the way they had come, incase Arthur tried to double back. Elle headed in their original direction, toward the visiting dignitaries' rooms. Merlin went straight up after Arthur, but wound up outside, chasing shadows.

Elle was the one that eventually found Arthur. He was banging loudly on chamber doors on the fourth level before sprinting away. He was incredibly fast for someone hardly able to keep upright. Elle chased down the hall as angry nobles stuck their heads out of their rooms to snarl at her and Arthur's retreating backs.

"Arthur, you're going to break your neck!"

The prince had suddenly changed directions and was heading up another staircase. He wobbled dangerously and Elle sped up before he went back down the steps and cracked his royal skull. Arthur took a sharp corner and froze. Elle's superior reflexes were the only reason she narrowly avoided crashing into him. She was about to admonish him, but he put his fingers to his lips and pointed.

Even when he was drunk Arthur was a hunter.

Elle fell silent. Something moved in the shadows down the end of the hall. They both crept closer, a sudden sinister feeling in the air around them. Silently she wished Merlin were with them.

Then abruptly she was glad he wasn't.

Gwen was pressed against the cold, stone wall, a hand clamped over her mouth, and her eyes wide with terror. A knight was fumbling with his trousers as he held her there, whispering to her to "be a good lass".

It was Sir Dain.

Elle thought that she had seen Arthur angry. He was constantly shouting at her, shouting at his knights, at Merlin, at Morgana, about his father…he shouted all the time, really, but this was different. This was a dangerous sort of rage that erupted from some secret place within.

Yes. Arthur was _Fire._

He tore Sir Dain away from the wall and away from Gwen with such violence, for a moment Gwen was paralyzed with fear. Elle caught her hand and quickly pulled the petrified handmaid away from the danger.

Both men were drunk, neither thinking clearly, but Arthur was fall down, stupid, sloppy drunk. Dain was just a mean aggressive. He pulled his sword on Arthur. Elle hissed angrily. There was literally nothing she could do to help. There was no water. She could make it rain, but that would be as much a hindrance for Arthur as his enemy. She settled for trying to calm down Gwen's shudders, and making sure her friend was alright.

"Gwen? Gwen, what happened?" Elle put her hands on Gwen's face to force Gwen to look at her. "Gwen, you're safe, sweetie. Are you hurt?"

She shook her head in a spastic jerking motion, her mouth moving in noiseless terror. Elle suddenly sucked in her breath as someone grabbed hold of her hair and used it to drag her feet. Dain had disengaged from Arthur and grabbed the first shield he could find.

Elle.

Arthur still had a bit of a wobble, but his adrenaline and anger had burned most of his drunken stupor away. He kept his eyes on Dain as he searched for an opening. He couldn't attack, though, without hurting Elle.

Elle was livid.

"That is _it!_" Elle disregarded everything she was ever taught about using magic responsibly, and never enchanting someone without their permission. She reached up, sunk her nails into the well muscled arm that was pinning her to Dain's chest, and thought of the cold.

Dain did not realize anything was wrong at first. He only thought that the large stained glass window was letting in a breeze. But it was getting colder. Painful. Unbearable. Arthur's sword clattered to the ground. He watched as first Dain's fingers, than his hand, than his wrist turned to ice beneath Elle's touch. By the time it crept up to his elbow, Arthur was pressed against the far wall, terrified. Elle jerked away from Dain and with one fluid motion slammed his arm against the stone.

It shattered.

"The only thing more insane than threatening a mage is threatening her friends," Elle hissed.

Dain was whimpering on the ground, too in shock to feel the pain.

"Arthur, would you please close your mouth, you look like a guppy." Elle went back to Gwen. "You're alright?"

"Magic! You used magic!" Arthur's voice was a hiss. Gwen was still too stunned to do anything other than shake uncontrollably.

Elle shrugged. "I told you it ran in my family."

"You told me your father and brother were… were…"

"Mage," Elle supplied.

"You're here to destroy the kingdom." Elle just stared at him and waited for the stupidity of his comment to sink in. "What _are_ you here for, then?" he demanded as princely as he could while disheveled from fighting.

Elle rubbed the back of her neck, a bit embarrassed. "I'm here to protect you, Arthur."

Arthur's eyes bugged out as someone yanked him backward. Sir Dain, eyes mad, grabbed his tunic and hauled the prince away from the girls.

"No!"

Gwen's scream was so heart-wrenching, Dain turned to sneer at her, mock her before he killed her prince. But he stepped on the shattered bits of ice. Dane skidded, unable to gain traction on the stone. He crashed through the stained glass window and plummeted down into the courtyard below.

He dragged Arthur down with him.

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	23. Noon

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

23

Uther needed air. Thanks to the drink and the overcrowded room, he was feeling decidedly warm. He was on the palace steps, enjoying the play of early morning light on his castle when he heard the scuffling of feet and Arthur's manservant—he could never remember the boy's name—dashed past. Merlin got to the middle of the courtyard before he slowed and looked about in confusion.

"Probably misplaced Elizabeth," Uther muttered to himself. He wasn't sure if it was entirely appropriate for Arthur's charge to be slumming about with a servant, but so long as it kept that boy out of trouble…

His thoughts were interrupted by the crash of breaking of glass and screams of terror.

At first he didn't understand what he was seeing. One of the windows on the fifth floor seemed to explode as a dark mass launched out of it, sending broken glass and twisted metal to the ground. Were those…people?

"Arthur! No!"

From somewhere inside, a girl's voice shouted her horror and the truth. Prince Arthur was plunging to the ground along with another knight, and all Uther could do was watch as his son, his heir, his hopes for the kingdom, fell toward the hard stone.

Merlin was sure he had seen Arthur run down the steps. So where did he go? He looked around. The drunken prince was probably hiding somewhere on him. Merlin really had no one to blame but himself. He should have been watering down Arthur's wine instead of talking to Elle, but how could he _not_ take advantage of Arthur's generous offer. "Go dance with her, Merlin, before I change my mind." Was he really supposed to say no to that? If the only repercussion for neglecting his duties was a game of hide and seek, and a headache for Arthur in the morning, Merlin would live with it.

"Arthur! No!"

That howl of misery was probably what saved Arthur's life and set him, set all of them, on the path that would one day be our legend.

Arthur hurtled to the ground, his still slightly drunken mind thinking that this would actually be rather fun if it weren't for the immediate death that was sure to happen at any moment. Any moment, now.

Hello?

Arthur was suspended in midair. Slowly, gently, he descended the last few feet and his feet touched the ground as though he had just walked off a step instead of out a fifth story window. Merlin was at his side, his blue eyes bright with worry and something else…fear?

"Arthur, are you alright?"

Arthur made a vow right there that he would never drink again. First Elle, now Merlin. Was anyone in Camelot not mixed up in magic?

"What is the meaning of this?"

Uther's voice tore through the air. He stormed across the courtyard his sword drawn. "Sorcery," he hissed. "I saw you. I saw you use an enchantment." There was a crazy gleam in Uther's eye. Beyond reason, beyond sense, he saw only a threat, an evil, he saw only a sorcerer. His voice boomed and echoed against the stone. "Arrest this man! Have him put in the dungeons." His voice lowered as he sneered at Merlin. "It seems we will all feast again."

Merlin didn't even have a chance to protest as two large men-at-arms caught him up, swords at the ready, and dragged him away.

"Father, I don't think—" Arthur began.

"No, you don't think. How could you not notice that your own manservant was enchanting you? Are you really that blind, Arthur? What sort of king will you make if you insist on surrounding yourself with liars and magic?"

"He saved my life," Arthur said angrily.

Uther still looked crazy. He laughed darkly. "Are you defending magic, boy?" The way he said 'boy' made Arthur feel about five years old.

"I'm defending Merlin. This isn't the first time he's saved my life." And it was true. That was how Merlin had become his manservant in the first place.

Uther refused to listen. He just waved a dismissive hand and looked up at the scaffolding that had yet to be taken down from yesterday's execution. "Noon," Uther said decisively. "The boy will die at noon."

Arthur sputtered. "That's only five hours away!"

Uther turned a cold eye on his son. "It should discourage any misguided rescue attempts. You have to learn, Arthur. And you will learn. The boy will die at noon."

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	24. Contraband and Coldness

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

24

"Fuck, fuck, _FUCK_!"

Elle might not panic in emergency situations, but she was a grade-A potty mouth when she was stressed out. Manners and subtlety went out the window when her brain started processing solutions. First off, she was going to punch Uther in the face. She wasn't a hundred percent how that would help Merlin, but it would make her feel better. Second, there wasn't a prison built that could hold a sorcerer determined to escape. If it came to it, Merlin could run…of course, that meant that Arthur would be unprotected. Without Arthur… "Fuck!"

There simply was no other word.

Gaius nearly jumped out of his skin when she and Gwen banged in the door of his chambers. "What are you two doing?" he demanded. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Merlin's been caught," Elle ran into Merlin's room and yanked up the loose floorboard without offering anything further. She could hear Gwen explaining what happened as she pulled the magic book out of its hiding place and flung herself under the bed. The staff was exactly where Merlin told her it was. She gathered them up and flew back into the main. Gaius was practically in tears.

"Knock it off," Elle growled. "This isn't the time to fall apart. Uther's knights will be here soon and tears will just make Merlin look guilty." She shoved the book into a pile of other old books, hiding it in plain sight.

Gwen shook her head. "How can you be so cold? I thought you cared for him."

Elle froze in her tracks. There was a storm in her eyes that made Gwen shiver, but Elle otherwise ignored the maid's comments. "Gwen, when the guards come, tell them everything that happened tonight. Do you understand me? From when you left the gala to Dain and Arthur breaking the window. Tell them _everything_. And leave Merlin out of it. Say you left the moment the window broke."

"But that's a lie!"

"Then. You. _LIE_." Elle put the staff in with a collection of other walking sticks Gaius had in stand and shuffled them so that it looked like a natural arrangement. "And Gwen? Now, listen because this is the important part. Tell them what I did to Dain."

"What did you do to Sir Dain?" Gaius demanded.

"You want me to turn you in?" Gwen was already shaking her head.

Elle made a frustrated sound. "Just do it! For God's sake, stop being such a damn goody goody. Some things are _worth_ it, Gwen." If she wasn't half mad with worry, Elle would have realized that she was being a bit harsh on the woman that had been a good friend since her arrival in Camelot.

She would have plenty of time to think about it later.

If there was a later.

"What are you going to do?" Gaius asked.

"I'm taking one for the team. Merlin can't die. That's not how the story goes. Just do what I said, Gwen, and tell them everything. Hell, tell them I pushed Arthur out the window if you like. Promise me, Gwen."

"They'll kill you in his place." Gaius warned.

Elle waited until Gwen nodded miserably before she made her way to the door. "Come on, Gaius. We both know that I have no place in this story."

The door clicked quietly closed behind her and the finality of the sound brought the tears back to Gaius' eyes.

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	25. Meant to Live

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

25

Merlin knew it would happen. His secret was bound to come out eventually. He just had hoped that Arthur would be king, magic wouldn't be outlawed, and he wouldn't be tossed in the dungeon when the news finally came to light. It did him no good wishing for a different outcome, now. His fate was sealed the moment he saved Arthur's life. Merlin saw that in the hatred burning in Uther's eyes.

"Merlin?"

"Elle?" Merlin peered through the gloom and sure enough, Elle was pressed against the bars. She looked breathless, her dark eyes storming. She was also soaked through, her dress a bit torn and the hem was caked in mud. Clearly she'd been to the lake. "How did you get down here? There are guards…" She was reaching through the bars for him and he hurried to take her hands. They were both leaning into the metal that separated them, holding on for dear life.

"You think you're the only one that can distract a guard?" She laughed, but it was humorless.

Merlin breathed in the scent of her, trying to memorize it. He wanted that scent on his mind when…when the end came. "What's going on up there?"

"All hell's broken loose. Morgana lost it when she found out what happened. She told Uther if he had you…if he…" she cleared her throat, unable to say the words. "She said she'd kill him with her bare hands. She actually threatened him. She's been locked in her room. Uther's being careful that no one tries to break you out. Apparently he kept referncing 'that druid boy'. You really shot yourself in the foot helping him."

"And Arthur?"

"He's fine. I haven't been able to see him. He's been yelling at Uther. He's defending you." The bars were digging into her, but she pressed closer. She could hear his heart beating wildly, but his arms were secure around her. She needed that. She needed that sense of security and safety if she was going to be strong enough to make it through the day.

"You've been to the lake?" he asked.

Yes, Elle had gone to the lake. She had left Gaius' and practically flew out of the castle. Storm clouds gathered overhead, but she ignored them. She hadn't bothered worrying with her dress. She just dove into the water and screamed when the Sidhe's words tore into her. They were furious, aggressive, and they were painfully loud. _Centuries of waiting, for nothing. Earth will crumble. Fire will gutter. Wind will blow away._

"What do I do?" Her words escaped in a rush of air bubbles.

_Save him._

"How?"

_Water : adaptable, swift, and joyful. Unstoppable. If Water's path is blocked, it will carve a new path. Align. Stand. They cannot. Water can. The path has changed._

"Tell me how."

Elle felt what could only be described as an angry growl pass through the water. _Take it upon yourself. The wrath, the blame, the pain of separation, the loneliness. One hundred years in the water. Force the change._

_Save him and what was once will be again. _

They fell silent. Just like that, they were quiet and the magic that had drawn her to the lake time and again vanished as though it had never been.

That was all they gave her. Defeated Elle went back to the castle. That's where she heard Arthur hollering at his father. Gwen told her that Morgana had been locked in her room. The knights hadn't asked Gwen a thing. They'd simply come in, tore Merlin's room to shreds and left. They thought Merlin had enchanted Arthur, that he was using him to gain control of the kingdom…

Elle had nodded and walked resolutely into the dungeon, a new idea, a new _path_, already twisting and evolving like a living thing in her head. First she had to see Merlin.

Elle shrugged. She took a deep breath and got to the reason why she had snuck down in the first place. "Gaius stashed your things, Merlin. Uther's knights didn't find them, so that's nothing to worry about. You're going to have to be extra careful for a while, alright? No risks, understand, because I won't be here to clean up after you."

He shifted. "I don't understand."

"Just take care of them. And don't let Arthur be a bully. And keep Morgana sane, Merlin. Don't let her hold those visions alone. And…keep Gwen away from Lancelot. Please."

Merlin pulled away from her when he realized that Elle was crying. Outside thunder pealed angrily. "Elle, what are you talking about? What have you done?"

She just smiled and brushed a soft finger down his cheek. "I am going to miss you." She moved back with her eerie speed and Merlin's hands closed on empty air.

"Elle!"

"I want you to know that this is how it's supposed to be," she said as she moved toward the steps. "You live, Merlin. You're meant to live." She dashed up the steps and away from the look on his face.

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	26. Saving Merlin

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

26

Noon came too quickly for Arthur. He was frantic. There were two...what had Elle called them...mages in the castle. One in the dungeons and the other only God knew where. Merlin. Incompetent, bumbling, idiot Merlin was a sorcerer. Somehow it didn't seem fair. Poor, clumsy, and magical to boot. Merlin had no luck.

Arthur paced obsessively. He had no idea what was happening outside the council door. His father had not permitted him to leave his side and Morgana was locked in her own chambers to circumvent Merlin's rescue. Gwen had come in with their breakfasts, and quickly whispered to Arthur that Elle was planning to get Merlin out. Arthur waited as the minutes ticked by, but he didn't hear the warning bells signifying an escape. Either Elle was very, very good, or his men were complete idiots. Or worse, she hadn't managed to free him. Merlin had saved his life. He couldn't be _killed_ for that. Arthur would never forgive himself.

"It's time." Uther was almost gleeful. "Come, Arthur."

Arthur had no choice but to follow his father out.

Normally, Uther stood watched an execution from the balcony. Apparently that was not intimate enough this time. Uther swept down into the courtyard, his red cloak billowing behind him. People had already gathered, their eyes wide, their faces carefully emotionless. They all knew Merlin, knew what a kind boy he was, albeit a bit ungainly. This execution cut at their very hearts. Arthur was deposited behind a line of his own knights, where he would have to watch but would be unable to intervene.

And then they brought Merlin out and Arthur's hope vanished. Elle hadn't gotten him away. He walked quietly, head bowed, between two large men-at-arms that looked sick to their stomachs. Arthur couldn't understand. Where was Elle? Had she fled? Did she really just leave Merlin to his fate? She was evil. She was a coward.

She was... on the scaffolding.

How…

"Uther Pendragon!"

People whispered behind their hands in shock and fear. The girl seemed to have appeared from nowhere and Uther hadn't noticed. She stood, disheveled and intense on the steps to the chopping block, a resolute road block.

Uther was forced to halt. "What is the meaning of this?"

"This has gone on long, enough, your Majesty. It's time to put your anger away."

Her words echoed off the stone. Arthur stopped his incessant threats and howls of anger to hear. Morgana opened her window and peered into the courtyard to watch her vision unfold.

"You insolent child, how dare you! Guards!"

"Touch her and I'll run you through myself!" Arthur shouted. The guards froze, not certain whose orders to obey. Uther was king, but Arthur looked mad enough to back up his threat.

"This boy used magic!" Uther spat.

Elle laughed. _Laughed_ and the people watched, captivated by the pureness of the sound. "Oh, Uther, who cares?"

The king seethed. "The people of Camelot…"

"You've been killing the people of Camelot," Elle snapped. "You've taken away mothers, fathers, and children. You make them hate you a little more with every senseless death. You tear their hearts out. Just look at him, Uther. Do you really think that Merlin is a sorcerer?" Elle was the only thing that stood between Merlin and the chopping block. Her face was dark, her eyes burning. "And be honest with yourself. Do you think he'd put up with you throwing him in the stocks every other day if he could use magic? Would he allow people to treat him like a workhorse? Do you think he would be a servant, if he had any talent for magic?"

The sky was quickly darkening. Rain began to spatter the cobble stones. People looked nervously to the king. If there was going to be a beheading, it would have to happen soon or it would be rained out. Many of them routed for the rain.

Elle took a deep breath. "Do you think it would have been so easy for me to enchant him if he were a sorcerer?"

Uther stared at her disbelieving. He had thought that this foolish rescue attempt would happen, but he didn't think she would take it so far.

"You realize it, now, don't you? Merlin didn't do magic, your Majesty. I did." Her words were greeted by a clash of thunder. "I've had you all enchanted from the moment you found me in the wood. Merlin is innocent. I bewitched him, but he's no good to me anymore. I can hardly use him now that you're watching him so closely."

Merlin stared at her with complete fury. She was lying. She was out and out lying. She hadn't enchanted anyone. Her gifts didn't work that way. She was going to get herself killed and for what? For him? He couldn't let her. He wouldn't. He opened his mouth to speak, but his words wouldn't come out. His mouth went suddenly dry. He managed only a painful croak.

He glared at Elle and she gave him a sad smile. She was going to rescue him, like it or not.

Uther drew his sword. "Enough. I understand that you want to protect your lover, Elizabeth…" his voice was choked off by his own surprise.

Elle lifted her hands to the sky as the rain suddenly poured down in earnest. Through the sheets of rain, everyone could see the spiral of water that twisted around Elle at impossible angles. Uther let out a shout of rage. Merlin hung his head, defeated. Arthur stared at Elle in disbelief.

"You can't shut it out, Uther. It's everywhere. It's in the Earth." Morgana felt dizzy, like something was moving through her. The water seemed to pulse around Elle.

"It's in the wind." Merlin's eyes turned gold as a breeze kicked up behind him, sending Elle's soaked curls back in the gale. He hadn't done that. Was she…was she invoking their elements?

"It's in the fire." Something stirred inside Arthur, deeper and bigger than he could understand. Elle was faintly glowing, now, her eyes challenging.

"And it's in the water." The deluge suddenly stopped. Rain still fell but it never hit the ground. It held about their heads, above Elle's outstretched hands.

"The magic is in your people, Uther like it or not. It isn't something you can fight or hate. It simply is. You want a Camelot void of magic? You'll have a Camelot void of life."

Morgana cheered. Her voice was the first, but it was quickly joined by others. Soon the entire courtyard was alive with triumphant shouts. The girl had not even been in Camelot two weeks, but she was their champion. She was the only one brave enough to show Uther the truth. Magic was alive and well in Camelot. Uther hadn't purged it at all. He had simply taught it to hide, to practice in secret, to be strong.

Morgana's vision had come true.

The rain stopped and the sun made a welcome return. Elle lowered her arms and the ceiling of water hovered above their heads, casting strange patterns of light on the stone. Merlin worried about the sort of magic Elle was calling on. She looked tired already, weakened by acts too big for her gift.

Uther was murderous. "You've bewitched us all." Uther pointed his drawn sword at the crowd. He cast a sympathetic glance at Merlin, saw the boy's rage, and misinterpreted it. Uther thought Merlin was angry at being enchanted, not angry at Elle for being so _so _stupid. "I can see what you have done to this poor idiot. Your fate is sealed."

Elle laughed again. This time the sound was without mirth. It was a cold, horrible laugh. "My fate is not in your hands, Uther Pendragon."

Merlin didn't like the sound of that, nor the look of resignation that crossed her features when she said it. Elle smiled as the water roof she had been holding up crashed down on them. Merlin felt the sting of the cold water and cool hands on his throat. He sputtered, his voice back. His shackles clattered to the ground the same moment he heard someone whisper, "Forgive me, Merlin."

He was free.

And Elle was gone.

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	27. What We're Meant For

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

27

Elle was in immense pain. She was somewhere between the castle and the lake, her body wracked with the pull of magic and the pain of what she had just done. She had aligned the Elements, invoked the power of each, forcing Uther to see the truth. She had done it knowing full well, that she would have to face the punishment the Sidhe warned her of.

_The wrath, the blame, the pain of separation, the loneliness. One hundred years in the water._

She had faced Uther's wrath, taken the blame…clearly, this was the pain.

She was being pulled toward the lake, called there to fulfill her obligation, but she fought it. Elle wrapped her arms around a tree trunk and bit her lip to keep from crying out. She took a step against her will. The pull lessened. A nice reward for getting closer to her ultimate doom. She stalled again and the pull came back, harder, more violent. The pain stayed with her, rolling through her body in waves. She was being torn apart from the inside.

Elle tried to clear her mind and think pragmatically. Essentially, she had poisoned herself. She was a water witch, a mage with limited scope to her power. She had stepped outside of her specific power when she aligned the Elements. Elle had pulled magic through her friends, magic she had no business touching, and in doing so had altered the very heart of her own power. Corrupted it. God, she was some kind of stupid. Stone faced, Elle stopped fighting. Purposefully, painfully, Elle hobbled toward the lake. If she was to be punished, best to get it over with. What was one hundred years? She made a disgusted noise.

She should have just let Uther hack her head off.

Something crashed through the underbrush, loud and clumsy, interrupting her thoughts.

"Elle?"

Dear, God, no.

Merlin. Elle couldn't let him find her. He wouldn't understand. He would do something stupid. He would offer to leave with her, not understanding that he would never be able to follow her, now. Elle knew her legends. He needed to stay with Arthur. He needed to keep Camelot together.

"Elle!"

She tried to move faster. What was she supposed to say to him?

Merlin stumbled through the woods and pulled up short at the sight of her. He stepped closer and Elle shook with pain. "Get _away_, Merlin. I can't…it's too much!" The closer he got, the more power Elle could feel welling up in her. He was too strong, too magical, and they were still connected. Aligned. He felt nothing, she felt it all.

"Merlin, back off!"

Merlin kept his distance, his face stricken. "What's happening? What have you done?"

She panted, her eyes unfocused. She was moving forward, grimacing with every hurried, jerky step. "I told you, Merlin. I've known your legend all my life. Arthur becomes a great king, but you need to be here to make that happen. I don't. I'm just an extra. I couldn't let you die."

Merlin followed behind her, careful to stay back. It took all his strength not to touch her, not to hold her. He could feel the power radiating from Elle trying to shake her apart. It got worse the closer he got. He was hurting her.

He didn't understand.

"What's happening to you?"

Not much further. She just had to last a bit further. "I've taken in magic that isn't…compatible," Elle gasped. "This was the only way. Now the Elements are aligned and you and Arthur can meet your destinies."

"What about your destiny?" Merlin demanded. "What about all the things you were meant for?"

Elle chuckled softly as she dismissed his statement. "What makes you think I wasn't meant for this? What if my destiny is to hold onto the pain so you don't have to?" That stopped him in his tracks.

"What's going to happen to you?"

So many questions.

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

Elle closed her eyes. Between the pain and Merlin she was going to explode. She pulled up short. The pain was unbearable. Something in her stirred, unfolded, stretched. Another Element was in the woods, one that flamed through her blood and burned the cool touch of her own magic away.

Arthur.

"Merlin, you led them right to me!" Elle took off like a shot. She was still fast, but there was no longer any fluid to her movement. Each jerky, spastic step was agony. Every breath was torture. And the more space she put between herself and her friends brought a relief that shattered her heart.

_The pain of separation._

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	28. Harsh Goodbyes

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

28

Elle burst out of the trees with Merlin on her tail. "Get out of here, Merlin!" she hissed. "Go away!"

"What did I do?" Merlin skidded to a stop as Elle reached the edge of the lake. She looked bewildered. Frightened.

Elle _was_ frightened. After everything she had done to free Merlin, the idiot was standing there with her, the self-admitted sorceress, while the knights of Camelot closed in on them. She could feel Arthur close by and getting closer. If they saw Merlin…

"Please hide?" She pointed to the trees but Merlin shook his head, stubborn. "You don't understand." Elle grabbed his scarf and pulled him down to face her. Her body rejected his closeness with every atom of her being, but she held on. "If you get caught all of this was for nothing. I can't save you again, Merlin, I have nothing left. Now get your ass out of here before I _make_ you."

Somewhere nearby, too nearby for comfort, voices were shouting and brush was being trampled. The heat inside of Elle flexed and she cried out. She fell against Merlin's chest and her body screamed. "Please," she whispered. "Please, hide before they find you."

Merlin held her for a moment longer and pressed a brief kiss into her hair. "Where will you go?"

Elle's body jerked and spasmed against him, her face grim. Arthur was so close. "I'll miss you."

"Elle, I..."

"Don't. It doesn't do either of us any good, now."

Merlin flinched. Pain filled his eyes as he turned and fled into woods.

Elle let out a relieved breath. She wanted to cry out after him, tell him the words he wanted to hear and she wanted so desperately to say, but it was better this way. Merlin would live. He could meet his destiny, protect Arthur, and be there for Camelot. She could do that much for him. If he hated her for it...well she would have to live with it.

Elle took a step into the lake. The water felt deliciously cold against her skin and the aggressive, vicious pull that had almost hobbled her vanished. The water was protecting her from the connection she had made with her friends. It was deadening it, muting it. The water was making it bearable. The sudden relief was staggering. Now, instead of fire pumping through her veins, she felt only the subtle hint of Arthur's presence.

"Witch."

Elle turned slowly. She was tired, she was sore, and she was heartbroken. She had had a terrible fucking day, and Uther was pushing it.

"Majesty," she said coolly.

Uther stood there, his knights flanking him with their swords drawn.

"This is ridiculous. Elle hasn't done anything to warrant being hunted like an animal." Arthur forced his way to the front, to stand by his father. He hadn't bothered drawing his sword.

_Little sister, you tarry too long._

Elle smiled up at Arthur, defender of the innocent and crowned prat, extraordinaire. As weak as she was, Elle sank into a low curtsey and stayed there, genuflecting to her prince. "Keep them safe, Arthur, my Once and Future King." Elle's voice was soft as she looked up. For the millionth time dark eyes met fair eyes and the prince was stricken. He was used to Elle's sarcasm, her taunts, and her rejection. He wasn't used to the blind trust that was on her face.

Arthur nodded. "I promise."

Uther bellowed, his face twisted with hate. The king took a step forward, sword raised when he froze on the spot. A great arm of water rose above the petite girl. It crashed down over her, dragging Elle away, flooding the bank, and scaring the hell out of Uther. The water receded and the lake was calm once more.

Uther was left brandishing his sword at nothing.

* * *

"Elle? Are you out there?"

A young man stood at the lakeshore, his blue eyes searching. He had his hands jammed into his pockets in an attempt to keep them warm. The trees were turning lovely colors, but Merlin saw none of the beauty around him. He was focused on the smooth, still surface of the lake.

"Elle?"

He sighed his frustration. All of this power and he couldn't do a thing with it that mattered. He and Arthur had had plenty of adventures since the day Elle disappeared over a year ago. Things weren't much different now that Arthur knew Merlin's secret. There was still something new threatening them every other day. Uther was as irascible as ever. And Arthur…was still a prat.

"I don't know if you can hear me, Elle, but we could use you up here. Things aren't right. Arthur is being terrible. Morgana is hardly talking to anyone. I feel like the whole place is drowning…" He cleared his throat. "I miss you, Elle."

The lake remained still. Merlin reached a tentative hand into the water.

_Please come back to me._ He pushed the thought into the water, hoping it would find her.

Still nothing. Merlin began the long walk back to the castle, his mouth a taunt line where his charming, lopsided smile used to be.

That night it rained in Camelot.

And if Gaius thought the weather had come on rather suddenly, he didn't say anything. He simply left his chamber door unlocked and fell asleep with a smile on his face.

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	29. Uther's Mistake

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

29

Uther woke up with a start. The room was freezing. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, shivering. How did the bloody window get open? There was rain all over the floor…

And a figure silhouetted against the dying fire.

"Nimue." Uther reached for his sword but it was gone.

"Don't insult me, Uther Pendragon." The voice was young, dry, and familiar. The girl stepped forward twirling the blade in her hand. Uther snarled.

"Elizabeth."

Elle stood nearby, but not quite within reach. "You've really managed to make a mess of things, your Majesty. It's alright. Things will settle, but it's going to be a long, _long _time. You had better hope that we are all patient enough to wait."

"What are you talking about?" Uther demanded. "How did you get in here?" His voice turned into a croak, his throat suddenly painfully dry.

"That's enough talking, Majesty. You are going to listen for a change. And stop making that face. I'm not going to hurt you."

And Elle told Uther the truth. She told him that she was a mage from the future, drawn back in time to protect Arthur. She told him about the Elements and their importance, leaving out the names. She explained that they were supposed to stand together so that Arthur could keep Camelot and what it stood for eternal. And then she told him that he had ruined everything.

"That day, when you tried to…" She shook her head. It was a day Elle did not like to think about. "I forced the alignment of the Elements," Elle said, her voice soft. "We should have been able to find our way together naturally, but you didn't give us any time. I _forced _us into immortality so that when we have our next chance at creating Camelot, we'll be alive to see it through. I did what needed doing, but the cost is a missed opportunity. For all of us. My punishment is a hundred years separated from the others, trapped in the insulation of the water. I can't be anywhere near the people that mean the most to me, and I won't be able to be here for Arthur."

Uther was trying desperately to say something, his face purple with the words he couldn't force out.

"Camelot will have another chance, Uther, but you will never see it. That's what all of your hate has gotten you." Elle's dark eyes mirrored Uther's. Disgust. Sadness. Fear. "You could have watched him be happy. But you're so set in your misery, you've taken us all down with you."

Elle went back to the window and the rain started to pick up again.

"You're going to destroy Camelot?" Uther's voice was a rasp.

The girl at the window shook her head scornfully. "You will never change, will you, old man? Tonight was a gift from my jailers. This is my last chance to visit this place. The next time I see Camelot…" Elle turned her attention to the window. "Well, I can tell you that we've got at least fifteen hundred years to wait." She extended her hands to the rain and was gone.

Uther quickly crossed and closed the window. It was terribly cold in his room.

It was colder in his heart.

* * *

That night, three young people dreamed of the beach. They all sat, side by side in the sand, munching happily on sandwiches as they watched the waves. Annoying black and white birds screamed overhead, begging for food. Elle was there, too, curled up next to Merlin, her dark eyes over bright. Arthur looked around and huffed into his sandwich. "God, Morgana, not you, too. A fellow can't take a piss without hitting a sorcerer anymore."

"If you had any common sense, Arthur, you'd realize that you're one of us," Morgana said loftily.

Elle laughed. "Or didn't you realize that you make girls stupid when you kiss them?" Elle asked. "My brain went all fuzzy. Literally, you're Prince Charming."

Merlin wrapped his arms possessively around Elle and glared at Arthur while Elle laughed.

Arthur laughed as well. "That will burn Uther. His heir and his ward, both of the magical persuasion…"

Their laughter lasted a long time. They all needed it.

"Where are we?" Morgana finally asked.

Elle rested her head against Merlin's shoulder and grinned. "This is my home. I live about a block from here, right on the island. I thought it would be a nice place to talk."

Arthur groaned. "So we have to talk and be serious, then?"

"I'm afraid so." Elle squeezed Morgana's hand who, in turn, passed it down to Arthur.

"I can't come back to Camelot," Elle said and Merlin's arms tightened around her. "Unfortunately it puts us all in a bit of a situation. I can't leave the water for another ninety-nine years, but we're supposed to be taking care of Arthur."

"Hey, I can take care of myself, Arthur protested.

Morgana shook her head. "I've seen terrible things. It's the same vision, Elle. Camelot burning, Arthur and I in that small boat…"

"Fire may burn out, but it can always be rekindled." Elle quoted. "We've already failed this version of Camelot. We have to wait for our next chance. In the meantime we could all try to make this the best place possible."

"How do you suggest we do that?" Morgana asked.

"What do you mean we've failed _this_ version of Camelot?" Arthur bellowed, demanding attention.

Elle shook her head, at a loss. "Well, first things first. Arthur, stop acting like a teenaged girl. You're supposed to be our leader. Be strong and stop having mood swings. You're being a pest. And Morgana, I already warned you. You have to talk about your visions. You can't keep those kinds of things to yourself, you'll lose your mind. Stop locking yourself in your room. The only way we get through this in tact is to be there for each other."

"Doesn't Merlin get scolded?" Morgana asked primly.

Merlin rolled his eyes but his smiled was sad. "I have to lose Elle for the next century. I might not be the best company until then, but I'll try." He buried his face in her hair and tried to calculate how many days were in ninety-nine years.

"It's not so bad. We'll have time…after. We _are_ immortal now," said Elle.

Morgana's eyes widened. "I _thought_ you were doing something to us at the execution. I felt it."

"Immortal?" Merlin mused. "So the next ninety-nine years…"

"They're just the beginning." Elle smiled up at him and her favorite lopsided grin reappeared.

"What the bloody _hell_ are you people talking about?" Arthur threw his sandwich crust at Merlin's head.

Elle smiled behind her hand and looked up into Merlin's clear eyes. "Someone tell him when you all wake up. It's not fair to keep our Once and Future King so out of the loop. It's his future after all."

Elle twitched in Merlin's arms and her smile vanished. Her hold on Morgana and Arthur slipped and they both woke up in their own rooms with a start. Arthur, prat that he was, just rolled over and went back to sleep. Morgana, smiled. It felt foreign on her face but she sent Elle a silent promise to be there for Arthur, whether he liked it or not.

"Elle, what's wrong?"

Arthur and Morgana had faded from the beach, leaving them alone. "It's time for me to go," she said, her voice tight with emotion. "I want you to know I hear you. Each time you come to lake, I hear you. I just can't…I couldn't go to the surface. I'm still learning to use this distorted version of my gift. But I hear you, Merlin."

Merlin was suddenly alone in his room. He sat up, startled by the sudden change in scenery. Outside, the rain was moving away from Camelot. He smiled, despite his sadness. Something was tucked into the bed beside him. A worn out piece of cloth, black with red lettering: Bon Jovi.

Ninety-nine years?

So long as they had forever, that wasn't so long a wait.

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	30. The Unavoidable End

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

30

While Merlin frequently went to the lake, he did not see Elle again for over a decade.

King Uther passed into the next world and Arthur took his place on the throne of Camelot. Arthur lifted the ban on magic and appointed Merlin his advisor, but Elle knew all those things would happen. She also figured out her place in the legend. And she _did_ have a place. History would remember her as the _Lady_ of the Lake and as she handed Arthur the famous blade the day he appeared on her shore, he smirked at her. She was never much of a lady.

Arthur did a many great things for his kingdom. Elle knew that he would. He taught his knights that power did not give them the right to be bullies. They were to defend those weaker than themselves, not to serve their own interests, but because it was the right thing to do.

As much as he did, in the end it simply wasn't enough.

_Earth will crumble._

Morgana was the first to break away. Her visions, increasingly violent and terrifying, were turning her soul. She had to break her promise. Morgana announced her departure early in Arthur's reign. There were druids in the woods. They had skilled seers among them. They could help her. She promised to return but she did not get back until it was too late.

Arthur married Gwen and it certainly seemed like they were in love. Some went as far as to say Gwen's adoration bordered on enchantment, but none were brave enough to speculate out loud. Even when their Queen seemed to shake out of her daze and look with regret on her husband. She was a good wife regardless, kind and soft spoken. Fair. And very close with Sir Lancelot. Everyone knew how close, but no one dared to tell the King.

_Wind will blow away._

Merlin did try to be strong. He went to the lake every night to tell Elle what she was missing. He unloaded all of his concerns, his joys, his fears. One night he simply did not return to Camelot. Arthur spent years looking for him, but to no avail. He was the only one left. His immortals had all abandoned him.

_Fire will gutter._

He became obsessed. Power hungry. He went looking for battles with no one, and nothing, to rein him in. Without his small family, without his friends, Arthur burned out of control. He left Camelot in the hands of a young knight, while he went off to alternately search for Merlin and fight some perceived enemy. The knight, a boy raised by the druids named Mordred, tried to usurp Arthur's throne. Mordred was killed by Excalibur the same moment he delivered his own fatal strike to the king.

It was like a blow to the heart. Elle screamed. Merlin fell to his knees. Morgana very nearly clawed her own eyes out. The first life of Fire was beginning to flicker.

Morgana's vision, her vision of the end, played out exactly. She returned to Camelot in time to see a knight leaving with Arthur's sword. She gathered her fallen brother, and with the help of his men, traveled over the White Mountains and loaded him into a small boat. This was not Elle's lake, but Morgana could feel her friend's presence close by.

The boat took them both to the island at the center and through the fog, Morgana could see Merlin waiting for them. Merlin helped them out of the boat even as Elle sprung from the water.

"One of your boys threw a sword at me," she told Arthur crossly. She placed a hand on his and Arthur's pain eased away. Morgana cradled his head in her lap, even while Merlin paced anxiously about them.

Arthur chuckled weakly. "That would be Sir Girflet. It's about time he got rid of that sword. I've told him enough times." His laughter turned to pained coughs. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"No," Merlin answered immediately. The girls both stayed quiet and did their best to clean and dress the jagged wound that opened his chest. They knew the outcome.

Arthur looked at his ex-advisor, his friend, his brother for all intensive purposes, and his face took on an air of kingly arrogance. "And where did you run off to?" he demanded. "I've been trying to find you. You just left me there."

Elle grinned as she and Morgana laced up his tunic and propped him against a tree. "I'm afraid that was my doing. This is the only place that I can leave the water. Well, for at least another sixty-seven years. Merlin found out. He was going to go back to you Arthur, but things got…complicated."

He narrowed his eyes at her. Arthur's breath was more ragged now. Sweat beaded his forehead regardless of Elle's cool touch. "What was complicated? He could have visited you whenever he wanted. I know what you mean to him."

Morgana studied Merlin's beaming face and Elle's suddenly shy smile and her eyes widened with surprise. "Elle! Oh, Elle, where?"

Arthur didn't understand until Elle left his side for a moment to return with a small boy clutching her hand and a toddler propped on her hip. "Meet the next generation of Knights. Or I guess I should say the _first_ generation of Knights. Say hello to your Uncle Arthur, Liam." The boy turned his intense dark eyes on Arthur and waved shyly. "And this little angel is Fiona." The little girl had Merlin's messy straight hair and bright blue eyes, but there was no mistaking the smile. It was all Elle's.

"Dear, Lord, Merlin's spawned." Arthur smiled weakly even as he gripped Merlin's arm. "You had to stay. I understand. But a _bloody missive_ wouldn't have hurt."

They all stayed with him until the end. Fire finally went out, surround by his family. Merlin sealed the body in the Earth, with Morgana to watch over him. He would rise again. Maybe it would take centuries, but they would wait for him.

Someday Arthur would reign again.

Someday he would rekindle.

**I truly hope that you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have added a little epilogue that alludes to my next installment **_**REKINDLED.**_** Thank you again for reading. God bless.**

**-Ace**


	31. Can you say SEQUAL

**I don't own any characters other than Elle Knight. That credit goes to the BBC**

_**REKINDLED**_

1

The waves crashed down against the pale sand and Elizabeth Knight kept a careful eye on her younger brother while he played in the ocean. Mind you, it wouldn't take much to rescue him if he did venture too far. Commanding the water took almost no effort at all for the twenty year old mage. Still, she watched him.

Why tempt fate?

It must have been that thought that ruined what was meant to be a relaxing day at the beach with her family. Elle's only warning was the uneasy feeling that crept over her while she watched the tourists enjoy one last good weekend.

_Elizabeth._

She sat up, confused. Elle felt the tingle of magic and sighed. What idiot mage was dumb enough to practice their craft in broad daylight surrounded by regular people? She dried off and slipped back into her jeans, heedless of the wet swimsuit. Elle tugged her ratty old Bon Jovi t-shirt over her head and stuck her feet in her sneakers, ready to hunt down whatever mage was about when the voice chuckled.

_It's time._

That is when Elle Knight disappeared. Most people were too busy enjoying the beautiful day to pay attention to what happened to the girl that suddenly vanished off the face of the Earth. The only two people that noticed were the ones that were waiting for it.

"It's about time," A petite woman, seemingly in her twenties stood up and wiped the sand off the back of her legs. "I thought I would never leave."

Elle Knight went over and sat on the blanket she had occupied a moment, and fifteen hundred years, ago before she was caught up in a medieval adventure. She had to wait a long time for her present day self to travel back before she could step in and take her own place again.

It was confusing.

A dark haired boy stood with her. Well, man. It wasn't Merlin's fault he was stuck at twenty-two. Elle had it worse. She was eternally twenty which meant she would never be the legal drinking age. It was no wonder they spent so many of their fifteen hundred years together overseas.

"Elle, honey?" A man with Elle's dark curls and dark eyes came out of the water. Elle threw her father his towel. "Did you feel that?"

Elle knew that her father was talking about the strange, loud tingle of magic that had resulted from Other Elle being dragged off the beach by magic. "That was just Merlin, da. He popped in for a visit."

Cal Knight was not a hard man, especially where his daughter was concerned. He never had any reason to worry for Elle. Today was not an exception. "Merlin? Like the myth? You're parents have a wonderful sense of humor." He offered Merlin his hand.

"I always thought so." Merlin grinned and accepted Mr. Knight's handshake. The man winked at Elle before he wandered back to the ocean so he could splash his wife.

Merlin put his arm around Elle and pulled her closer to him, possessively. You'd think that after more than a millennium together they would be tired of each other. Sometimes they were, but mostly they were disgustingly in love. Merlin watched her, now, and Elle's smile was more relaxed than he had seen it in a while. This was what she had been waiting for for centuries.

She had her home.

She had him.

Life was perfect.

So, of course, everything had to go terribly, terribly wrong.

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